By 2030, the European Union must reduce emissions from the heating and cooling of buildings – responsible for 13 percent of EU emissions – by the equivalent of the annual emissions of Slovakia.

In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie sits down with Michael Pahle, Marion Santini and Giovanni Sgaravatti to discuss how greener buildings can play contribute to Europe’s decarbonisation efforts. They discuss new EU rules, expanding the emissions trading scheme, and the need to find financing for energy-friendly renovations, as well as how to shield households and small companies from the impact of higher carbon prices.

Relevant publication and event:


 Keliauskaitė, U.,B. McWilliams, G. Sgaravatti and S. Tagliapietra (2024) ‘How to finance the European Union’s building decarbonisation plan’, Policy Brief 12/2024, Bruegel

How to finance building decarbonisation in the EU, Bruegel event, 2 July 2024

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