EUROPE GAS TRACKER REPORT 2021

The report finds that the EU is planning a 35% increase in gas import capacity through pipelines and LNG terminals, costing an estimated €87 billion. This expansion is argued to be unnecessary for security of supply and contradictory to the EU's climate goals, creating a significant risk of stranded assets and emissions lock-in. While public financing from the EIB and EU grants has historically catalyzed these projects, the report notes a shift toward phasing out such support, though private finance and initiatives like the Three Seas Initiative continue to pose risks of further fossil gas entrenchment.

• Building all gas infrastructure currently in construction or pre-construction phases would increase the EU's net gas import capacity by 222 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/y), representing a 35% increase.
• The total estimated cost for future gas infrastructure in the EU is €87 billion, consisting of €21 billion for projects under construction and €66 billion for proposed projects. This investment creates an €87 billion stranded asset risk and threatens to lock in emissions beyond 2050.
• The expansion of gas import capacity is deemed unnecessary for security of supply. A 2020 Artelys analysis concluded that existing infrastructure is sufficient to meet various demand scenarios, even during extreme supply disruptions lasting a year.
• Public financing has been a critical catalyst for gas projects, with identified public funding exceeding private funding by a ratio of approximately 2:1. However, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is phasing out investment in gas infrastructure, and revisions to the TEN-E regulation are expected to end support for gas investments.
• To meet the target of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030, fossil gas consumption in the EU would need to decline by 36% from 2020 to 2030, requiring an immediate annual decline rate of more than 4%.
• Alternative methane sources, such as biogas and synthetic methane, are not expected to fully replace fossil gas. Projections suggest they would replace at most one-quarter of current fossil gas use by 2050.
• Since early 2020, gas infrastructure projects worth €5.1 billion have been cancelled or shelved, and another €24.8 billion worth of projects have been delayed due to factors including economic uncertainty, environmental assessments, and U.S. sanctions.

APA

Inman, M., Aitken, G., & Zimmerman, S. (2021). EUROPE GAS TRACKER REPORT 2021. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-Europe-Gas-Tracker-Report-2021_11.pdf

Chicago

Inman, Mason, Greig Aitken, and Scott Zimmerman. EUROPE GAS TRACKER REPORT 2021. Global Energy Monitor, 2021. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-Europe-Gas-Tracker-Report-2021_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Inman |first1=Mason |last2=Aitken |first2=Greig |last3=Zimmerman |first3=Scott |title=EUROPE GAS TRACKER REPORT 2021 |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=April 2021 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-Europe-Gas-Tracker-Report-2021_11.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{inman2021europe, author = {Inman, Mason and Aitken, Greig and Zimmerman, Scott}, title = {{EUROPE GAS TRACKER REPORT 2021}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-Europe-Gas-Tracker-Report-2021_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }