Sometimes you think that a story you read is just so absurd it has to be made up. But no, this one is true:
The European Green Party has criticised the appointment of Ceñete as Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, calling it "an insult to intelligence."
According to the Green's spokesperson in Brussels Florent Marcellesi, "This nomination is just an insult to our intelligence. We find it outrageous and immoral that this vitally important position goes to a person who is the antithesis of climate protection and renewable energy. "
In a press release [in Spanish] the Greens have pointed out that Cañete:
- has owned shares in oil companies that operate in tax havens,
- is a shareholder in a company operating in the Canary Islands with a contract of Petrologis, subsidiary of the Ducar oil refinery,
- has never participated in any legislative initiatives on Climate Change and Energy while he was member of the Spanish Parliament.
Furthermore, the policies developed by Cañete's ministry also deserve attention. ''In recent years we have witnessed the gradual dismantling of environmental policies in Spain. Under the guise of economic development some laws, such as the Coastal Act or the Environmental Assessment Act, have been emptied of key content, while government has done as much as it can against renewable energy.
"It is clear that Cañete is not a candidate who would be in any way committed to the fight against climate change and for a new sustainable energy model. How will he fight against climate change while holding his shares in oil companies? It's ethically and politically unthinkable."
Supposedly the world took steps against climate change yesterday.
There is no way this is a step in any such direction.
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Private Eye covers this story in the current issue (1375), Richard. They also note that the new EU president’s (Cameron’s most unfavourite person – Jean-Claude Juncker), choice of financial services commissioner is none other that Lord Jonathan Hill and as such is a ‘gift to the banks’. However, PE also notes that the commissioner for financial affairs and taxation – with whom Hill will have to work given their overlapping policy domains – is French socialist Pierre Moscvici.
As well as Canete as commissioner for climate and energy Juncker’s choice for environment is a Maltese career politician called Karmenu Vella, who has ‘interests in, er, hotel and construction firms.’. Not a good omen for environmental policy, is it?
PE refers to these appointments, and Junckers creation of a layer of five vice-presidents to coordinate work in key areas, as a ‘sense of mischief’. However, given Juncker’s allegiances and previous biases and policy preferences while PM of Luxembourg I’d say they are deeply troubling and signal the demise of any vestiges of social democratic purpose the EU may have retained. Ironically, I’m sure David Cameron now can’t believe why he ever objected to the man.
Deeply worrying
The last PE has been well thumbed in our house….but not by me
Life is too short to read everything right now (pseuodonames apart)