Europe’s new energy commissioner takes on housing as well as fuel

18/9/2024 7:30

        The European Union's newly announced Energy Commissioner will for the first time have the task of leading an EU housing division as well as dealing with
        more typical duties, such as seeking to lower fuel prices and implement green policy.
        
        Dan Jorgensen, named on Tuesday by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as part of her new team, is a former EU parliamentarian and a climate leader in his native Denmark, which has a track record of linking energy and energy-efficient housing policy.
        
        As commissioner, his challenges include helping to implement the EU's ambitious Green Deal to try to keep the bloc on track to reduce carbon emissions. He must also deal with the ongoing impact on energy of Russia's war on Ukraine.
        
        Europe's energy prices have normalised since the extremes of the 2021-2022 energy crisis, but they remain high, making the continent increasingly uncompetitive compared with the rest of the world. Germany in particular has suffered from the loss of cheap Russian gas that fuelled its industry.