Spain nominates Energy Minister Ribera for EU commissioner post, Reuters

By Belén Carreño

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain has nominated Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera as European Union commissioner, a government spokesman said on Wednesday.

Ribera has led Spain’s green agenda since 2018, advocating a harder and faster transition to a zero-carbon economy, prioritizing renewable energy such as solar and wind over gas and nuclear plants, which she supports phasing out.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s office has sent an official letter proposing that Ribera, 55, be appointed to the new Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen, a government spokesman said, confirming an earlier news agency report. EFE state news.

The Spanish government and the S&D group of social democrats in the European Parliament will push to give Ribera a broader portfolio beyond climate issues, a source with direct knowledge of the talks told Reuters.

Consolidating a single market for energy and implementing policies in the clean technology industry could be among the new topics added to Ribera’s mission, the source added.

Ribera is also expected to compete for one of the Commission’s vice-presidencies. The lack of strong female candidates would pave the way for such an appointment, said a source from the Socialist Party in Ribera.

Since Spain held the EU’s rotating presidency, Ribera has been a key figure at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, cementing his image as one of the staunchest supporters of Europe’s climate change agenda.

Issues such as the phase-out of nuclear power and the biogas industry have fueled tensions between Ribera and major energy players and business lobbies, while environmental groups have criticized the energy plan for not doing enough to combat climate change.