BRUSSELS BEHIND THE SCENES
Weekly analysis with Sam Morgan
Who should be appointed the new head of EU climate policy was the main attraction of the Brussels circus this week. Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra eventually did enough to get the nod but had to make a big concession to get the job.
A former foreign and finance minister, Wopke Hoekstra was a rather unusual pick for climate commissioner when his name was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Mostly known for saying ‘no’ to the idea of corona-bonds during the pandemic, Hoekstra’s background in consultancy and past ties to fossil fuels also prompted those in the know to question his candidacy.
But he finally convinced MEPs to vote through his appointment and he managed to do it partly by committing to one particularly important point.
BRUSSELS BEHIND THE SCENES includes weekly analysis not found anywhere else, as Sam Morgan helps you make sense of what is happening in Brussels. If you want to receive Brussels Behind the Scenes straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the newsletter here.
Frans Timmermans, a long-time right-hand man of European Commission presidents, created quite the quandary when he quit Brussels in favour of domestic politics earlier this year.
The bearded climate boss wants to be the next prime minister of the Netherlands and when he handed in his notice, the question asked was who should take over his duties and oversee the EU’s flagship policy, the Green Deal.
Von der Leyen decided to spin off the climate job from the wider Green Deal portfolio and hand it to the candidate nominated by the government of Mark Rutte. Wopke Hoekstra would take the job, with Slovak official Maroš Šefčović promoted to take on the rest.
Hoekstra used to work for Shell in a past life and had a lengthy stint at McKinsey’s, a consultancy firm that is infamous for working with companies that have a less than admirable record on environmental matters.
The Dutchman’s record in government includes refusing to back emergency financial measures during the Covid-19 crisis and bailing out KLM, an airline, with more than €3 billion in state aid.
As far as a resume goes, it did not scream ‘climate champion’.
That was the initial reaction of a lot of MEPs as well, who were not quite convinced by Hoekstra’s slick statements and answers during a 3-hour-long hearing at the European Parliament on Monday.
His fortunes became conflated with those of Šefčović’s, with the S&D group blocking Hoekstra’s appointment unless the Slovak was give the nod by the EPP and vice-versa.
Eventually, after a list of written questions were answered overnight, MEP chiefs were able to find a majority to back both candidates and on Thursday a full sitting of lawmakers voted through both commissioners-in-waiting.
So what did Hoekstra say to land him the job, despite the several legitimate worries that still hung over his candidacy?
Firstly, he agreed to ask McKinsey to divulge information about the clients he worked with during his time with them. That lack of transparency was a worry for many but until the details are actually published, remains an open question.
Secondly, Hoekstra did a fairly good job in the hearing of convincing MEPs that he is not looking to be just a caretaker. Even though there is only about a year left on this Commission’s mandate, he wants to use the time wisely.
He mentioned “laying the groundwork for a Green Deal 2.0” and making sure that any negotiations or proposals that are still jammed up in the legislative pipeline get resolved as quickly as possible.
But the point that really hit home was his commitment to championing an ambitious emissions reduction target for 2040. This may prove to be one of the most significant bits of EU policymaking of the coming years.
Long-term planning, now
When the EU settled on a net-zero benchmark for 2050, it was nothing short of an amazing achievement that everyone actually agreed to it. One official contacted by Behind the Scenes doubts that it would be possible in the current political climate.
It was significant because it set the destination for EU policies. The journey towards it could be debated until the cows came home but the endpoint was set in stone. It gave a boost to investors and policymakers alike.
A 2040 target will have the same effect as it will plot the currently fogged-out zone between mid-century and 2030, giving us all a clue to what kind of other targets will have to be met.
According to a new scientific advisory board, the 2040 benchmark should be at least 90% cuts. In his hearing and responses to written questions, Hoekstra pledged to defend that recommendation during his time as commissioner.
That is a big concession from a centre-right politician who “loves the ETS” but who also loves bailing out airlines. Whether this somewhat personal commitment will translate into an institutional commitment remains to be seen of course.
Think about it: the EU is beginning to talk about a climate objective that countries who are not even members of the Union might have to respect, given how long-term the planning is.
Talk in Brussels this week was about membership talks with Ukraine starting in December. It is not out of the question that nations like Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro or Albania might have to contribute to this goal.
How big an impact Hoekstra will have on the planning will be decided in the coming 12 months. If Timmermans succeeds in his quest to be the next PM, it is unlikely his replacement will get a second stint in Brussels.
Regardless, he has a year to make good on his promises. Plenty will be watching with great interest.
BRUSSELS BEHIND THE SCENES includes weekly analysis not found anywhere else, as Sam Morgan helps you make sense of what is happening in Brussels. If you want to receive Brussels Behind the Scenes straight to your inbox every week, subscribe to the newsletter here.
