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The Conference Corner

EU Commission restructuring: A climate expert in von der Leyen's team.

Last week, climate expert Teresa Ribera secured one of the top executive vice-presidents position.

EU Commission climate expert

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, made public the 26 names of her new team to support her second term in office over the next five years.


After several weeks of choosing an EU executive from each member state, von der Leyen’s new team is composed of 11 women and 16 men.


The President of the Commission selected four women as vice-presidents against only two men.


Turning to climate action, Spanish Socialist Teresa Ribera took on the position of executive vice-president for a clean, just and competitive transition; competition policy. 


“This is a great opportunity to keep on building the European dream”, she told reporters in Strasbourg.


News outlets named her the ‘second-most powerful person in Brussels’. Her new role combines being EU’s competition chief, net-zero architect and economic transformer.


Ribera has a strong track record dating back to 2004 where she held key roles in climate, serving as Director-general of the Spanish climate change office. 


Most recently she served since 2021 as vice-president of the government of Spain and minister for ecological transition and demographic challenge. 


As an advocate for climate and environmental action, “she knows how to get things done,” said a researcher at the national centre for scientific research (CNRS).


A climate expert in one of the most powerful positions in Brussels is very positive for the future of the EU in becoming a leader in the green transition. 


EU commission climate expert


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