On 18 July 2024, Ursula Von der Leyen has been reelected for another term as head of the European Commission, with a stronger mandate than in 2019 – the majority in the European Parliament she managed to ramp up was 401 votes. On 17 September, the planned composition of the new Commission was announced, subject to the approval of the European Parliament. What can we expect from the new EU ‘government’ and what are the most important challenges the VdL2 Commission will face in the area of climate, energy and sustainability governance?
Key Issues
- The European Green Deal (EGD) aims for climate neutrality by 2050, with significant emission reductions mandated by the Fit For 55 package and the European Climate Law.
- Public support for climate action remains high, though immediate costs have sparked protests, such as the 2024 farmers’ demonstrations.
- Despite pushback from climate-skeptic forces and member states prioritizing energy sovereignty, the re-election of Ursula Von der Leyen as European Commission President with a stronger mandate suggests continued ambitious climate action.
- The new Commission, featuring strong green advocates like Teresa Ribera and Dan Jørgensen, is expected to maintain high climate policy ambitions.
- Key challenges include balancing climate goals with economic competitiveness, managing conflicts between renewable energy expansion and biodiversity, and addressing the nuclear versus renewables debate.
- The geopolitical landscape, particularly post-Russian invasion of Ukraine, underscores the need for energy security and resilient value chains.
About the author
Kacper Szulecki is a research professor in the Climate & Energy Research Group at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
and an advisory board member of the GreenDeal-NET project.
This Policy Brief has also been published as a Policy Brief of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.