Italy approves climate social plan and energy bonus

The Italian Council of Ministers has approved a Climate Social Plan, which includes a new energy subsidy called ‘energia plus’. This measure is designed to mitigate the economic impact of the European Union’s ETS2 system, which imposes costs on fossil fuels used for heating and road transport.

Once approved by the EU, the subsidy is expected to target approximately 4.7 million households with an ISEE below 25,000 euros. The program is slated to run from 2028 to 2031, with support provided automatically through electricity bills. The total estimated cost is 1.34 billion euros, funded by 1 billion euros from the EU Social Climate Fund and the remainder through national contributions.

Separately, recent monitoring of Italy’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) indicates that the country is trailing its renewable energy targets. While renewable energy consumption rose to 20.5% in 2025, this falls short of the 25.3% target set for that year. Significant gaps remain for 2030 goals, particularly in the transport sector, where renewable usage stands at 9.8% against a target of 34.2%.