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Good morning! We have an interesting scoop for you: despite its commitment to reduce reliance on Russian energy, the EU is expected to import a record amount of Russian liquefied natural gas this year. In today’s article, we discuss the challenges faced by the EU’s proposed new climate commissioner and why Germany is dismantling wind farms to mine more coal.
Introducing the New Climate Commissioner
Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra is facing a challenge from the European Parliament after being appointed as the new climate commissioner by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. Hoekstra, who was nominated by the Netherlands, will be responsible for EU climate policy for the next 15 months, pending approval from the European Parliament.
However, Hoekstra still needs to win over his doubters, as Pascal Canfin, the chair of the parliament’s environment committee, stated that his appointment is not yet a done deal. Von der Leyen highlighted Hoekstra’s commitment to maintaining an ambitious climate policy while ensuring a social balance. Hoekstra, in turn, expressed his eagerness to engage in a dialogue with the parliament and follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Frans Timmermans.
One point of contention is the allocation of the climate portfolio to the center-right EPP, which has angered the parliament’s Socialists. Hoekstra also faces opposition from southern European countries due to his criticism of their economies during the Covid pandemic. Additionally, his previous employment at oil company Shell may raise questions about his commitment to green policies.
Gender Balance and Commission Appointments
Von der Leyen initially called for member states to nominate both male and female candidates for commission positions. However, since Hoekstra is replacing a male commissioner, the gender balance will be maintained. Similarly, Bulgaria has nominated a woman, Iliana Ivanova, to replace Mariya Gabriel. If both nominees pass parliamentary scrutiny, the commission will have 14 male and 13 female members. However, if they fail to win support, von der Leyen is expected to withdraw their nominations.
Maintaining Gender Parity
If Danish competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager succeeds in her bid to run the European Investment Bank, the objective of maintaining gender parity will remain in place. This means that Denmark would need to nominate a woman for Vestager’s current position. This may rule out potential candidates such as foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and climate minister Dan Jørgensen, who have shown interest in moving to Brussels.
Chart du jour: Italy’s Opportunity
Italy is set to receive almost €200bn in EU pandemic recovery funds, the highest amount among all member states. The question now is whether Italy can utilize this funding to achieve an economic reboot.
Energy Mix: The Good and the Bad
EU coal and gas generation reached record lows in the first half of 2023, thanks to the growth of renewable energy and reduced demand. However, in Germany, RWE, an energy company, is resuming the dismantling of wind turbines to expand a coal mine. This raises questions about the dichotomy that the EU faces in pursuing ambitious climate goals while still relying on heavily polluting fuels.
Germany’s reliance on Russian pipeline gas and the expansion of coal mining at Garzweiler are prime examples of this challenge. The German government reached an agreement with RWE to accelerate the phase-out of coal in North Rhine-Westphalia, but allowed the company to mine more coal in the meantime to keep power plants running. RWE argues that the loss of some wind turbines will be offset by the development of larger wind farms elsewhere.
Despite these challenges, Germany continues to break records for renewable energy, with wind and solar power accounting for a record 49% of the country’s power generation in July. Denmark and Portugal lead the way with more than 75% renewable energy in their power supplies. However, fossil fuels still account for 33% of total power generation across the EU in the first half of the year.
The current climate emergency calls for urgent efforts to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources. Anything that diverts from this critical endeavor, such as the dismantling of renewable energy infrastructure for fossil fuel extraction, should be unequivocally prohibited.
What to Watch Today
EU defense ministers are meeting in Toledo, and EU agriculture commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski is meeting with Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo.
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