At a stakeholder consultation held on 20 October 2026, the European Commission presented plans for the Investment Booster, the first phase of its proposed €100 billion Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, aimed at accelerating investment in low-carbon technologies and strengthening European industrial competitiveness. The Investment Booster, envisaged for 2027–2030, would mobilise approximately €30 billion through EU Emissions Trading System allowances, providing predictable financial support based on verified emissions reductions for up to 10 years. Discussions focused on eligible technologies—including industrial electrification, hydrogen, carbon capture and potentially circular solutions—as well as simplified application procedures and fixed carbon premiums designed to overcome investment barriers and make industrial decarbonisation projects financially viable. More information is available here.
The Washington Post reports that following the Trump administration’s dismissal of scientists working on the US National Climate Assessment, researchers have launched an independent initiative to ensure that critical climate research continues. The new US Climate Collection, supported by the American Geophysical Union and American Meteorological Society, has published its first paper, involving 175 contributors, identifying advances and research gaps in areas such as extreme weather, climate modelling, and the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centres. While not intended to replace the official National Climate Assessment, the initiative aims to preserve scientific expertise and provide reliable evidence to support climate policy and decision-making at all levels.
The Times reports that a new survey by the real estate platform Rightmove reveals that 63% of UK home movers want properties capable of generating most or all of their own energy, with rising energy prices and concerns over energy security driving growing interest in solar panels, battery storage and heat pumps. Since 2022, property listings featuring heat pumps have increased by 151% and those with solar panels by 94%, although a significant gap remains between consumers’ interest in greener homes and their willingness to prioritise energy efficiency improvements.
New research commissioned by the International Transition Plan Network and reported in the Financial Times, covering nearly 8,000 companies worldwide, finds that businesses publishing comprehensive climate transition plans benefit from borrowing costs averaging 0.8 percentage points lower than those without such plans. While the findings suggest that credible climate strategies and transparency may strengthen investor confidence and reduce financing costs, researchers caution that the study does not establish a direct causal relationship between climate disclosures and cheaper borrowing.
The Financial Times reports that Chinese battery manufacturers, including CATL and BYD, are accelerating overseas investment to overcome growing Western trade barriers and localisation requirements, with nearly $90 billion committed since 2023, including more than $31 billion in Europe. While these investments could strengthen regional battery supply chains for electric vehicles and energy storage, they also raise concerns that China’s dominance of critical clean energy technologies will persist despite efforts by Europe and the US to reduce their dependence on Chinese suppliers.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here are some useful ideas to help you along:
- There’s never been a more important moment to travel right in Europe with masses of overdevelopment, cruise ships, walking pollution and captive cetaceans still hot topics when it comes to responsible tourism issues in Europe. Check out the Responsible Travel website.
- Experience the beauty of Scotland this autumn.
- Autumn is the best time for a cycling trip in Europe because the summer heat is gone, the roads are quiet, and the trees turn bright red and gold. Check out Bike Tours in Europe for some inspiration.
- 2026 is the centenary of the death of the painter Claude Monet (1840-1926). To mark this anniversary, the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris has organised an exhibition, entitled Monet, painting time, focusing on his body of work’s relationship with time. It continues until January 27, 2027.
John Dewey (1859-1952), the American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer gives us much to reflect on this week: “To be playful and serious at the same time is possible, and it defines the ideal mental condition.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New EEA report on Europe strengthening industrial competitiveness
- New EC publication on impact of EU-funded technologies
- Morocco: the unexpected winner in the EU–China electric vehicle trade dispute
- North Sea oil: from public revenue to public liability?
- Keeping cool without warming the planet
- New EU-funded project – Ruralise – focusing on European rural communities
- New report from ACEEE on pathways for India’s cement industry to decarbonise
- Less is more: rethinking fashion in an age of overconsumption
- Beyond 1.5°C: why climate action matters more than ever
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