Teresa Ribera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Teresa Ribera
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Official portrait, 2024
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| First Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition | |
| Assumed office 1 December 2024 |
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| President | Ursula von der Leyen |
| Preceded by | Maroš Šefčovič |
| European Commissioner for Competitiveness | |
| Assumed office 1 December 2024 |
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| President | Ursula von der Leyen |
| Preceded by | Margrethe Vestager |
| Third Deputy Prime Minister of Spain | |
| In office 12 July 2021 – 25 November 2024 Serving with Nadia Calviño, María Jesús Montero and Yolanda Díaz
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| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Yolanda Díaz |
| Succeeded by | Sara Aagesen |
| Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge |
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| In office 7 June 2018 – 25 November 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Isabel García Tejerina (environment) Álvaro Nadal (energy) |
| Succeeded by | Sara Aagesen |
| Fourth Deputy Prime Minister of Spain | |
| In office 13 January 2020 – 12 July 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Pedro Sánchez |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | María Jesús Montero |
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 17 August 2023 – 1 December 2023 |
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| Constituency | Madrid |
| In office 21 May 2019 – 21 February 2020 |
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| Constituency | Madrid |
| Secretary of State for Climate Change | |
| In office 22 April 2008 – 30 December 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Director of the Spanish Office of Climate Change | |
| In office 11 February 2005 – 22 April 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez
May 19, 1969 Madrid, Spain |
| Political party | Spanish Socialist Worker's Party (2011–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (until 2011) |
| Spouse | Mariano Bacigalupo |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Complutense University of Madrid |
| Occupation | Jurist • Lawyer • Professor • Politician |
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (born 19 May 1969) is a Spanish lawyer, professor, and politician. She currently holds two very important roles in the European Commission. She is the First Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. She is also the Commissioner for Competitiveness.
Before these European roles, she was a key minister in the Spanish government. She served as the Minister for the Ecological Transition of Spain starting in 2018. She also became a fourth deputy prime minister in 2020. Later, in 2021, she was promoted to third deputy prime minister.
Between 2008 and 2011, Teresa Ribera was the Secretary of State for Climate Change in Spain. From 2014 to 2018, she directed a group in Paris called the Institute of Sustainable Development and International Relations.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Teresa Ribera studied law at the Complutense University of Madrid. She also earned a degree in constitutional law and political science. She has worked as a professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Ribera held several technical jobs in public service. She was the Chief of Coordination for the Ministry of Development. She also worked as a Technical Adviser for the environment. From 2004 to 2008, she was the general director of the Office of Climate Change.
Working for a Better World
Teresa Ribera is part of many groups that give advice on global issues. She is on the Global Leadership Council for the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. She also advises the World Economic Forum on climate change. She works with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on their "Momentum For Change" project.
In 2013, she started working with the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) in Paris. In 2014, she became its director. This group studies important topics like sustainable development, climate change, and protecting biodiversity.
A gas storage project called Project Castor faced problems due to earthquakes. Teresa Ribera had signed an environmental approval for this project in 2008. However, no politicians, including Ribera, were charged when the case was investigated. In 2015, she joined a team of experts to help create the Socialist Party's plans for elections.
Political Career in Spain
Minister for the Environment
In June 2018, Teresa Ribera became the Minister for the Ecological Transition in the new Spanish government. This happened after Pedro Sánchez became Prime Minister. King Felipe VI officially appointed her to this role. She took office on 7 June.
As minister, Ribera quickly made changes. She ended the "sun tax" to make it easier to produce clean energy. This also helped lower electricity prices. She worked to reduce coal pollution in Spain. She made an agreement with unions to close most coal mines in the north. The government invested €250 million to help miners and restore the environment.
In 2019, Ribera suggested that the European Union should consider a carbon tax on energy imports. This would help protect the EU's interests and reach its environmental goals.
Spain hosted the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference because Chile could no longer host it. This happened under Ribera's leadership.
Deputy Prime Minister
On 13 January 2020, Ribera became the Fourth Deputy Prime Minister. She also kept her role as Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. This was the first time Spain had four deputy prime ministers.
In April 2020, the Prime Minister asked Ribera to lead the plan for easing the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. She put together a team of experts to help with this plan. Ribera said that Spain's recovery should be "green" and "solidary." She called for a "Green New Deal" for Spain. This plan would help the environment and the economy.
In July 2021, Ribera was appointed Third Deputy Prime Minister. In May 2021, the Spanish parliament passed the Climate Change and Energy Transition Act. This law helps Spain move towards cleaner energy.
In late 2021, the government approved Ribera's energy plan. This plan set aside 6.9 billion euros for renewable energy, green hydrogen, and energy storage. It also aimed to attract more private funding.
Ribera helped lead a working group at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference. This group focused on how to reduce climate change.
Working for Europe
European Commissioner
On 17 September 2024, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, announced the new team of commissioners. Teresa Ribera was chosen for two important roles. She became the Competition portfolio commissioner. She also became an executive vice-president in charge of environmental affairs, energy transition, and competition.
During her approval hearings, some members of the European Parliament questioned Ribera. They asked about her handling of the terrible floods in Valencia in October. Despite some initial concerns, the Parliament approved her appointment on 27 November 2024. She started her new roles on 1 December.
Ribera strongly supports the European Green Deal and the green transition. She said that her new vice-presidency shows that the green agenda is still a top priority. She believes that environmental change will drive economic and industrial growth. In December 2024, Ribera confirmed that the European Commission will not delay the ban on selling new combustion engine cars in the EU after 2035.
Recognition
- 2018 – Climate Reality Project Award in the category of 'Public Personality'. This award was given by the Climate Reality Project.
See also
In Spanish: Teresa Ribera para niños
