The European Union is marching ahead with a sweeping expansion of its carbon market, a move that will push home heating and transportation costs to punishing new heights. Under the guise of “cutting emissions,” EU policymakers are implementing a system that will make energy unaffordable for millions—especially those who can least afford it.

According to an analysis by BloombergNEF, the new emissions trading system, set to take effect in 2027, could push the price of carbon dioxide to €149 per metric ton by 2029—more than double current levels​. The direct consequence? Heating bills may rise by as much as 41%, and transportation costs could jump 27%​. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a financial wrecking ball aimed squarely at households and small businesses across Europe.

For years, politicians and activists have insisted that draconian carbon policies will help “save the planet.” What they fail to acknowledge is who actually pays the price.

• Heating Costs: Millions of Europeans already struggle to afford winter heating. The EU’s new carbon market will ensure that staying warm becomes a luxury rather than a necessity.
• Transportation Costs: Higher fuel prices won’t just hit personal drivers—they’ll ripple through the entire economy, raising the cost of goods and services.
• Small Businesses Punished: Large corporations can offset costs or lobby for exemptions, but small businesses will have no choice but to absorb price hikes—or shut down.

And what does the EU offer as a solution? “Green alternatives.” Heat pumps, electric cars, and home renovations—all of which require substantial upfront investments that the average citizen cannot afford.

Even some EU lawmakers are now realizing the scale of the disaster they’ve created, with calls to delay the rollout of this new carbon tax​. But as history has shown, once bureaucracy sets a policy in motion, reversing course is nearly impossible.

Rather than learning from past failures—such as Germany’s disastrous energy transition, which led to record-high electricity prices—EU leaders are doubling down on policies that make daily life harder for ordinary Europeans.

If this policy isn’t helping citizens, who is it helping? The answer is the same as always:

• Corporate interests and investors profiting from government-mandated purchases of EVs, heat pumps, and inefficient “green” tech.
• Bureaucrats and policymakers who secure their careers by pushing unworkable climate targets.
• The elite class who can afford to “go green” while lecturing everyone else about their carbon footprint.

At its core, this is not about saving the planet—it’s about control. The EU’s carbon market expansion is a stealth tax on survival, designed to force people into financial hardship under the pretext of climate action.

For millions of Europeans, the coming years will bring a harsh choice: pay up or freeze.

H/T Steve Milloy