‘Dream team’: Green groups breathe a sigh of relief on von der Leyen’s climate choices

Ursula von der Leyen’s green choices have gained a cautious thumbs-up from climate activists and the clean energy lobby, after a first mandate that saw environmental laws take centre stage.  

The re-appointment of Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra as EU climate commissioner, alongside fresh blood from Danish social democrat Dan Jørgensen taking the energy portfolio, appears to have calmed fears over a U-Turn away from the Green Deal, the flagship policy of her first term. 

They were handed their portfolios this morning in a keenly awaited presentation by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who gave Spain’s environment minister Teresa Ribera an executive vice-president position in charge of a “clean, just and competitive transition”. 

Linda Kalcher, executive director of the climate think tank Strategic Perspectives, described the trio as a “dream team” that could carry the legacy of the Green Deal through into the Clean Industrial Deal she has promised for her second five-year mandate.

“They understand the geopolitical uncertainties, pressure on European companies and import dependencies,” Kalcher said, adding they would be well placed to navigate the geopolitical tensions and tariffs that a second Trump presidency might entail. 

“As strong advocates for moving to a fossil-free energy system, it will be on them to lower LNG [liquefied natural gas] imports from the US,” Kalcher said. She was confident that Denmark’s former minister for development and global climate would be able to withstand lobbying pressure from big oil and gas companies. 

“I expect him to be immune against greenwashing claims that blue hydrogen or various carbon removal technologies will solve all our problems tomorrow, while being pragmatic on