Delaying ETS2 Will Not Protect Households from the Next Energy Crisis

Some European Union countries, including Italy, Poland, and Czechia, want to delay ETS2, a new EU carbon pricing system that would add costs to gas and oil used for heating and driving, set to start in 2028. They argue it would raise costs on households already struggling with energy bills. A piece from the group Transport & Environment argues delaying it won't actually help, since it leaves families dependent on the same oil and gas whose prices already swing unpredictably.

The bigger point for homeowners: the EU has money set aside to help people switch to cheaper, more stable energy sources before the carbon pricing kicks in. Under the Social Climate Fund (2026–2032), Poland could get up to about €11.4 billion, Italy €7 billion, and Czechia €1.6 billion, plus matching national funds, to help pay for things like home insulation upgrades, heat pumps, electric vehicle leasing, or better public transit. This funding is already available now, through 2026, even before the carbon market for heating and transport fuels begins in 2028.

Sweden offers an example of this in action: it launched a €533 million Social Climate Plan and already had over 12,000 applications for electric vehicle purchase or lease support by June, targeting lower-income households in rural areas with few transit options. If your own country participates in these EU programs, it may be worth watching for similar home-heating or vehicle support rolling out locally, since the goal is to cut household dependence on oil and gas before added carbon costs arrive.