EU Unveils Clean Industrial Deal to Boost Decarbonisation and Water Resilience
The European Commission has officially launched the Clean Industrial Deal, a transformative strategy designed to accelerate Europe’s decarbonisation efforts while strengthening its position as a global leader in clean manufacturing and technology.
Focusing on energy-intensive industries and cleantech, the initiative seeks to create a robust, sustainable industrial ecosystem that supports climate neutrality and water resilience by 2050.
A cornerstone of the Clean Industrial Deal is the integration and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance resource efficiency. As demonstrated by the EU-funded RESURGENCE project, these digital innovations can significantly improve water management, circularity, and reuse-key pillars in achieving a water-smart future.
The Clean Industrial Deal outlines several concrete commitments, including:
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Introducing resilience and sustainability criteria to foster a clean and secure European supply chain for energy-intensive sectors
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Allocating €6 billion from the Innovation Fund in 2025 to advance clean technologies
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Recognising the central role of Research & Innovation (R&I) in enabling advanced cleantech solutions
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Mobilising around €50 billion in additional financing to support strategic EU priorities
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Launching the TechEU investment programme to drive innovation and scalability
Water resilience is critical to Europe’s strategic autonomy. Without a focus on water-smart technologies, our industries—especially high-tech sectors like semiconductors—risk facing severe production and economic losses.”
Indeed, water shortages in semiconductor manufacturing alone could lead to costs of up to €27.5 million per month, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable water use and smart management backed by digital tools and clean tech.
