Brussels – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has announced what portfolios she is assigning to European commissioner nominees who will steer EU policy to the end of the decade. Although green policy has made it in the job titles of several commissioners, questions remain about the social and environmental benefits of a new competitiveness drive, in the wake of intensifying events like the recent devastating floods in central Europe.
Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss said: “Europe is already the fastest warming continent on the planet, with nature devastated by industrial farming and pollution – the challenge is well-documented, but it’s still unclear if this Commission can pull Europe back from the brink of ecological collapse and protect people’s livelihoods. Despite some impressive sounding job titles for the new commissioners, the EU’s shaky green and social agenda has so far failed communities facing floods, wildfires or job insecurity. If competitiveness means lowering social and environmental standards and giving in to big polluters, it will not deliver jobs, nor protect lives and the nature we all depend on. Time will tell if this Commission is capable and willing to work for the social, economic and environmental resilience that will safeguard life and ensure our children’s future.”
In a press conference to announce her new team of commissioners on Tuesday morning, von der Leyen assured reporters that climate change still “dominates” the Commission’s agenda, but that competitiveness and security were parallel priorities.
Scientists predict that the planet could heat up by 1.5°C by the time the new Commission ends its term in office, making it almost impossible to stop runaway climate breakdown and triggering unprecedented wildfires, floods, and impacts on ecosystems and food security. As a signatory of the UN Paris climate agreement, the EU has pledged to act to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
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