‘Money pit’: EV write-offs of leading carmakers hit €60 billion in 2025
European and US automotive companies have had to write off almost €60 billion in investments in electric vehicle (EV) projects in 2025, according to a new study…
Energy and climate
Hot TopicLatest reporting and analysis on energy and climate.
Is there a risk of a gas shortage in Europe this winter?
The European gas market is under pressure due to the geopolitical situation and low stock levels.
Nothing says net zero emissions like zero economic activity
Last month, EU leaders met to consider the impact of high energy prices on Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
Official Dutch food advice: Eat less meat – for the planet
The Dutch official nutrition authority has unveiled a major update to its long-standing dietary guidelines.
Italy PM suggests suspending EU spending rules over Iran war
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said today the European Union should consider temporarily suspending its strict spending rules if the Iran war and the resulting…
Germany rakes in €500 million extra from fuel tax in March – but still no tax cuts
The rocketing prices for petrol and diesel are proving a boon for Germany's finance minister.
Fuel crisis: Governments and private sector profit while workers pay price
The European Union is witnessing growing fuel chaos as a temporary ceasefire in the Iran conflict, and the partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz briefly eased…
Jet fuel recovery to take months even after Hormuz reopens, warns IATA
The head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has cautioned that global jet fuel supplies are unlikely to return to normal for several months, even…
Europe’s leaders and their failures over Iran: They are playing with fire
What is it about a campaign to remove the Islamic Republic’s chokehold on Europe’s energy supplies that appals Europe?
Against nuclear power: The most successful brainwashing campaign in modern history
I usually do not write about my home country, Austria, but today I want to make an exception.
Former German finance minister claims nuclear phase-out ‘has not harmed the country’
Peter Altmaier, a former German finance minister, former economy minister and a chief architect of Angela Merkel’s energy policy, claimed Germany’s decision…
Workers at French energy giant threaten strike, as energy costs swallow their pay
Employees of Argedis, a network of petrol garages owned by French energy giant TotalEnergies, are threatening a walkout, saying the product they help distribute…
Truth is out: Operators immediately linked mega blackout to renewables, Spanish Senate hears
Operators knew from the start that the 2025 Iberian blackout was due to renewable energy, according to audio recordings Spain's legislature has obtained.
Poland’s intervention in the fuel market meets with EC disapproval
The European Commission has attacked a Polish move to lower VAT on motor fuels to protect consumers from surging prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Dozens of UK Labour MPs urge PM Starmer to water-down Net Zero commitments
Dozens of UK Labour MPs have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and senior Cabinet ministers calling for a review of key Net Zero policies, amid concerns over…
Middle East war: global economic fallout
Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war:
Volkswagen recalls 100,000 electric vehicles as battery defect may pose fire hazard
German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) has to recall almost 100,000 electric vehicles worldwide due to faulty batteries.
German economy minister warns of fuel shortage from end of April
Germany’s Federal Minister for the Economy, Katherina Reiche, has warned of an impending fuel shortage if the Iran war drags on for much longer.
Belgian industry asks for closed nuclear plants to be reopened
Belgium’s energy-intensive industries are calling for an urgent study into extending the operation of several recently closed or idled nuclear reactors.
South Korea gets US permission to import oil from Russia to ease fuel crisis
South Korea will likely turn to Russia for oil imports after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut the east Asian country off from its main suppliers in the…
Unheard noise, real concerns: Wind turbines under scrutiny
A conference titled Unheard but Not Harmless: Public Health and Wind Energy Infrasound took place today at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Fernand Kartheiser.
‘Green’ policies make Germany especially vulnerable to surge in price of natural gas
Germany is especially vulnerable to energy price increases following the war in Iran and the closure of the Street of Hormuz – due to a mix of supposedly “green”…
Leading European nations and Japan signal they want to help keep Strait of Hormuz open
Leading European nations and Japan have signalled readiness to support efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Losses for German automotive supplier ZF double to €2.1bn after electrification failure
German technology group ZF Friedrichshafen has reported a net loss after tax of €2.1 billion for fiscal 2025, almost doubling the €1.
Slovakia says No to cross-border ‘fuel tourism’ and limits fuel sales
The Slovak Government has introduced emergency restrictions on diesel fuel sales amid an escalating energy supply crisis.
Germany’s biggest oil rig may have to shut following lawsuit by environmentalists
Germany’s biggest oilrig, the Mittelplate station in the North Sea, may be forced to close down permanently.
Middle East crisis forces Brussels back to nuclear energy, VDL letter discloses
Ahead of this week’s European Council meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to EU heads of state highlighting Europe’s energy…
Ifo institute: German government misappropriated 95 per cent of new debt for infrastructure
According to a new analysis by the ifo Institute, one of Germany's most respected economic research organisations, 95 per cent of the €24.
Belgian PM says Europe to normalise relations with Russia after war, spurring criticism
An interview with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, in which he said that after the war in Ukraine, Europe and Russia will normalise relations and resume energy…
The Hormuz crisis is about much more than oil
The Western public has been conditioned to think of energy crises in terms of petrol prices and heating bills.