Teresa Ribera : Energy strategy and green transition in Brussels

Teresa Ribera, Spain's Minister of Ecology, could influence the European Commission's future energy policy. Her anti-nuclear, pro-renewable energy approach is provoking debate within the Union.

Share:

Teresa Ribera, Spain’s Minister of Ecology, is emerging as a prime candidate for a position as European Commissioner in the new team headed by Ursula von der Leyen.
Her potential appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the European Union’s (EU) energy policy, as debates intensify over the future of the European Green Pact.
Ribera is keen to link economic competitiveness and ecological transition, a key area of development for the EU against a backdrop of growing international pressure on energy markets.

Strategic positioning and policy priorities

With a career rooted in environmental and energy policy, Ribera’s expertise is widely recognized.
A former Secretary of State for Climate Change, she also headed the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) in Paris, where she took part in the discussions that led to the Paris Agreement in 2015.
In Spain, she has overseen major reforms, notably in the electricity market, aimed at promoting renewable energies such as green hydrogen.
However, her decisions and anti-nuclear stance are not unanimously supported in Europe, where several member states continue to regard nuclear power as an essential component in the decarbonization of their economies.
His approach, which combines pragmatism and firmness, has met with resistance at both national and European level.
Ribera believes that the costs of inaction on energy transition far outweigh those of the necessary reforms.
This perspective is accompanied by criticism from certain players, notably in the Spanish agricultural sector, who have expressed concerns about the impact of these policies on their activities.

Challenges and prospects within the European Commission

Teresa Ribera’s possible arrival at the European Commission opens up the prospect of intense debate on the future of EU energy policy.
Her clearly anti-nuclear stance could polarize discussions, particularly in the face of countries like France, which regard nuclear power as indispensable to achieving carbon neutrality targets.
This divergence of views between member states could complicate the search for a consensus on the next objectives of the Green Pact.
Ribera has also shown a certain inflexibility in dealing with Spain’s energy giants, such as Iberdrola and Repsol, whom she has publicly criticized for their lack of transparency and management of climate issues.
Her negotiating style, focused on dialogue but anchored in clear principles, could also cause friction with other European Commissioners and industrial interest groups, who favor a more gradual approach.

A double-edged commitment

As future Commissioner, Ribera will have to navigate carefully between the ambition to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness through the green transition and the reality of internal tensions between member states.
Europe’s energy strategy must not only meet the challenge of diversifying energy sources, but also respond to the economic requirements of individual member countries.
If Ribera maintains its current policy line, it will have to demonstrate that the transition to renewable energies can take place without compromising economic growth.
This will be a delicate balancing act, particularly in view of the growing influence of Central and Eastern European countries, which are reluctant to adopt policies perceived as too restrictive or costly.
Ribera’s ability to rally support beyond his traditional allies will determine his capacity to push through substantial reforms.

Nearly USD92bn will be invested by major American and international groups in new data centres and energy infrastructure, responding to the surge in electricity demand linked to the rise of artificial intelligence.
Nouakchott has endured lengthy power interruptions for several weeks, highlighting the financial and technical limits of the Mauritanian Electricity Company as Mauritania aims to widen access and green its mix by 2030.
Between 2015 and 2024, four multilateral climate funds committed nearly eight bn USD to clean energy, attracting private capital through concessional terms while Africa and Asia absorbed more than half of the volume.
The Global Energy Policies Hub shows that strategic reserves, gas obligations, cybersecurity and critical-mineral policies are expanding rapidly, lifting oil coverage to 98 % of world imports.
According to a report by Ember, the Chinese government’s appliance trade-in campaign could double residential air-conditioner efficiency gains in 2025 and trim up to USD943mn from household electricity spending this year.
Washington is examining sectoral taxes on polysilicon and drones, two supply chains dominated by China, after triggering Section 232 to measure industrial dependency risks.
The 2025-2034 development plan presented by Terna includes strengthening Sicily’s grid, new interconnections, and major projects to support the region’s growing renewable energy capacity.
Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
The German Ministry of Economy plans to significantly expand aid aimed at reducing industrial electricity costs, increasing eligible companies from 350 to 2,200, at an estimated cost of €4bn ($4.7bn).
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.