PRESS RELEASE

FONDAZIONE MAIRE PRESENTS ITS “CLIMATE GOALS” RESEARCH ON ENERGY TRANSITION IN THE FRAME OF NEXTCHEM SYMPOSIUM AT THE HAGUE: FOCUS ON THE NETHERLANDS, INSTITUTIONS ASKED TO ACT AS FINANCIAL ENABLERS TO OVERCOME COST CONCERNS

• The study by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS with Ipsos Doxa has been monitoring public awareness of the energy transition worldwide since 2023 involving 2,850 individuals and 25 experts from 17 countries
• In the Netherlands, the energy transition is no longer just about energy – it’s reshaping the economy. Awareness is near universal (98%), with 59% saying they know the topic well
• Institutions are asked to play a role to boost the energy transition, funding new technologies, offering incentives, investing in the development of alternative fuels for sustainable mobility. Business is seen as the main driver and should focus on adopting new production processes (39%) and innovating products and services in a sustainable way (55%), yet 43% say efforts are inadequate. Fabrizio Di Amato: “The energy transition is unstoppable; MAIRE can contribute to it through its European platform of technology and execution capabilities”

The Hague, 19 May 2026 – In the frame of Nextchem Symposium at The Hague, the four-year international event dedicated to sustainable fertilizers, Fondazione MAIRE – ETS presents the results of the fourth edition of “Climate Goals: winning the challenge of climate goals through the creation of skills and competences worldwide” (Addendum 3), featuring a dedicated focus on the Netherlands, one of Europe’s most mature yet most demanding markets in assessing the energy transition. The study – promoted by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS and carried out with Ipsos Doxa with the support of MAIRE – has been monitoring since 2023 public awareness and consciousness on the energy transition worldwide, looking beyond low- or zero-emission energy production to include the transformation of industrial processes, products, business models, distribution and consumption patterns, and the creation of necessary skills and competences.

The research draws insights from 2,850 individuals and integrates the views of 25 experts in 17 countries across 4 continents: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey for Asia; USA, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Algeria in Africa; Germany, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and UK for Europe.

The Netherlands frames the energy transition not as a purely technological shift, but as a broad economic and industrial transformation shaped by financial innovation and circular models. Awareness is near-universal (98%) and 59% say they are “very familiar” with the topic; key motivations remain climate (35%) and public health (30%), while 33% expect net job creation in sustainable sectors. A clear short-term realism also emerges: 50% believe that in the next 1-3 years costs will outweigh benefits, reflecting an “upfront investment” phase.

Respondents see a role for Institutions to mitigate these costs, by funding new technologies and offering subsidies and incentives to help the transition. At the same time, they see business as the main operational driver (57%), while expectations remain high, with 43% judging current corporate efforts as inadequate. Priority areas align with perceived national strengths: green chemistry (43%), solar and wind (42%), and ICT/digital solutions (33%). Human capital is central: 75% point to a “hybrid professional” combining technical expertise (renewables 47% and recycled materials 47%) with advanced cognitive skills (critical thinking 57%, problem solving 56%). While 70% recognize the need for upskilling, the preferred approach is structural and medium-term, with 41% indicating a 2–3year timeframe to embed new competencies.

The event saw the participation of H.E. Ambassador Augusto Massari, Ambassador of Italy in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for an institutional welcome; Mark Schmets, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate; Pejman Djavdan, CEO Stamicarbon; Ilaria Catastini, General Manager, Fondazione MAIRE – ETS presented the results, followed by a panel composed of Fabio Fritelli, Managing Director of Nextchem; Gert Jan de Geus, CEO OCI Nitrogen; Ralph Koekkoek, CEO Blue Circle Olefins; Theo Bovens, member of the Senate (Eerste Kamer) of the Dutch Parliament, with Esther van Rijswijk, as moderator. Fabrizio Di Amato, Chairman and Founder of MAIRE and Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, closed the event with his final remarks.

MAIRE is a leading engineering group providing technology solutions and project execution in the downstream segment of energy services, as well as in the chemical and fertilizers industries, with 10.800 employees in 50 countries. The Group can count on a well rooted presence in the Netherlands through NEXTCHEM and its subsidiary Stamicarbon, a Sittard-based company and a global leader in fertilizer technologies. NEXTCHEM, the technological arm of MAIRE Group, provides proprietary technology solutions for the decarbonization of the energy industry, thanks to its comprehensive portfolio of technologies and intellectual property for sustainable fertilizers, low carbon energy vectors and circular economy.

Fabrizio Di Amato, Chairman of MAIRE and Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, remarked: “The Netherlands stands out for near‑universal awareness of the energy transition, confirming that the discussion has moved beyond ‘why’ to the far more demanding question of ‘how’. The data also underlines the urgency: the energy transition is unstoppable, and today credibility depends on closing the gap between expectations and delivery, turning awareness into measurable progress through investment, innovation and skills. MAIRE can contribute to the new energy scenario through its technology and execution capabilities. Today we reaffirm our commitment from the Netherlands, where we have one of our technological hubs for sustainable fertilizers. In every single country we leverage specific industrial competences to create a real European platform, thanks to our more than 30 legal entities operating in Europe”.

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Highlights from the Climate Goals’s research

The study covers Qatar, Saudia Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey for Asia; USA, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Italy, UK, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands (in this 2026 wave) for Europe; and Algeria in Africa.

Awareness. Germany and India lead in awareness on the energy transition, with 64 and 63% of the population feeling very familiar with the topic. It is closely followed by the Netherlands (59%). In contrast, Poland shows a superficial understanding: only 39% feel very prepared. Argentina (36%) and Kazakhstan (29%) rank among the last for in-depth familiarity with the topic.

Priorities. The climate agenda is competing with other topics and issues, but the energy transition remains a priority for 70% of the respondents in India and Turkey, followed by 67% of Qatar and 65% of UAE. The three European Countries included in 2026 edition of the survey have surprisingly set the energy transition among the lowest priorities: the Netherlands is the most committed, Germany shows a more balanced and cautious approach,  the lowest rate is in Poland, with only 20% of the sample giving it top priority (lower than Argentina and Kazakhstan) and 66% recognizing priority on par with other themes. 

Opportunities. Algerians are the most convinced about cleaner environment, health benefits and job opportunities. India and Saudi Arabia emphasize the potential to boost women’s inclusion. For China, as well as for Germany, The Netherlands, and Poland, the creation of new jobs in sustainable sectors is an expected benefit, as also the reach of a cleaner environment and reduce global warming.

Governments. Governmental priority commitment is most positively rated in India (71%), Saudi Arabia (62%), compared to Kazakhstan (15%), Poland (21%) and Argentina (23%).

Leadership. Chinese participants feel their country is leading compared to the others and almost half of respondents place high importance on sustainable innovation of production processes, products and services, with 68% seeing technology as important for the energy transition. Technology emerges as the dominant priority also across Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.

Challenges. Algeria, Poland and China struggle to raise public awareness; Chile faces hurdles in private sector renewable adaptation. Ensuring the active involvement of all stakeholders is a challenge for China. Infrastructure development is a focus in the UAE, USA, Germany Netherlands, Poland and Kazakhstan. Training of professionals is a key goal in Azerbaijan. Qatar shows concern about job losses in traditional sectors. Turkey, Algeria, the USA, and the UK emphasize the importance of development of energy and environmental policies.

Pros&Cons. Kazakhstan shows the highest level of concern over whether the energy transition costs will exceed benefits. Conversely, half of respondents in Saudi Arabia believe that benefits of the energy transition will outweigh the costs initially, balancing out over time. In Europe, a "short-term pain" mindset prevails, with long-term optimism in Germany and the Netherlands contrasting with Poland, which remains a skeptical outlier expecting costs and benefits to stay balanced.

Education. China and Chile recognize the urgency for improved training programs on energy transition, whereas Poland and the Netherlands show less urgency, yet a high percentage still wants training within the next 2-3 years, (65% and 69% respectively). India (28%), SA (24%) and Germany (22%) report the highest level of confidence in terms of preparation. Overall, the global consensus underscores the need for both soft and hard skills to develop well-rounded professionals, which is essential for advancing the energy transition. Kazakhstan reports a severe shortage of skilled professionals for the energy transition, with mostly positive assessments from China and India.

Skills. Many countries recognize the importance of problem solving, critical thinking and creativity and innovation as essential soft skills in this sector. Technical skill in environmental impact assessment is highly required in Azerbaijan and Poland, while knowledge of renewable energy sources is required in Algeria Germany and Poland, and expertise in alternative renewable and recycled feedstocks is highly required in Algeria, Qatar, China, Netherlands and the USA.

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To learn more about Climate Goals Addendum 3: Climate goals addendum 3 2026 | Fondazione.

To explore the topics in depth and read the four publications: Studies | Fondazione.