Stockholm (NordSIP) – In the aftermath of European Parliament elections, the ensuing political reorganisation of the EU tends to occur slowly. This is largely due to calendar issues as the elections take place at the end of May or at the start of June, close to the summer holidays. There isn’t much time to do anything before going on holidays asides from selecting the President of the European Commission, and a few other top roles.
When politicians return from their vacations in September, one of the first orders of business of the new European Parliament is to vote for the rest of the new College of European Commissioners, the EU’s executive body. Each commissioner is selected from a roster of proposals made by the national governments of the EU.
Back from their holidays, it appears that European governments are finally able to make their proposals. According to media reports Spain has proposed Teresa Ribera, as EU Commissioner for the Environment and Climate Change. Ribera’s credentials are impressive.
Ribera has been the Minister for the Ecological Transition since June 2018 and was recently elected Member of the European Parliament for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). Together with Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s outgoing climate commissioner, Ribera headed the EU’s delegation at last year’s COP28.
Ribera is widely reported to be considered to be one of the most competent environmentalist politicians in Europe. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Ribera’s leadership of the environment ministry has coincided with a substantial decrease in Spain’s reliance of coal to the benefit of renewable energies. She was also critical in the recent push of sustainability legislation pushed through the EU due to her role during the 2023 Spanish presidency of the European Council.
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