Frans Timmermans
Dutch politician Frans Timmermans has been a driving force behind Europe’s climate agenda, leading the European Green Deal to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. His leadership has brought together governments, businesses, and communities to implement ambitious policies that transform industries, strengthen climate commitments, and position Europe at the forefront of global sustainability efforts.
THE BACKGROUND
Frans Timmermans has been a leading force in shaping Europe's climate policies, driving initiatives that have accelerated the green transition. As the architect of the European Green Deal, one of the world's most ambitious sustainability agendas, he has placed sustainability at the core of economic and social progress. With climate change intensifying, Timmermans has worked to make sustainability a fundamental pillar of EU governance, shaping industries, legislation, and international climate commitments.
Frans's Leadership and Impact
As Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Timmermans spearheaded the European Green Deal, a groundbreaking initiative that set the EU’s course for climate neutrality by 2050. Under his leadership, the Fit for 55 package was introduced, setting a target of reducing EU emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To ensure a fair transition, he launched the Just Transition Mechanism, a €100 billion initiative providing financial and social support to regions and workers affected by the move away from fossil fuels. His leadership advanced biodiversity restoration policies, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which aimed to expand protected areas and restore degraded ecosystems.
Beyond Europe, Timmermans played a key role in global climate diplomacy, representing the EU in negotiations at COP summits, advocating for emissions reductions, and contributing to agreements such as the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27. With the Green Deal, he helped integrate circular economy principles into EU legislation, shaping policies across sectors like energy and transport to support a sustainable transition. His leadership in climate governance demonstrated that ambitious policy and innovation can drive transformative change while balancing environmental and economic priorities.
LOOKING AHEAD
After nearly a decade in Brussels, Frans Timmermans has returned to Dutch politics as the leader of the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, and is now running to become the Netherlands’ next prime minister. His campaign focuses on uniting a politically fragmented country and tackling challenges like the climate crisis and geopolitical instability. Regardless of the outcome, he has pledged to stay in Dutch politics, bringing his experience in climate governance to the national stage.
"In these extraordinary times, as climate change threatens our way of life, our homes, and our access to food, clean water, air, and the very fabric of global order, we must imagine alternatives that people can rally behind—solutions that will help us overcome the unprecedented challenges we face.
For me, the power of imagination is the cornerstone of trailblazing leadership. It enables us to envision and strive towards a world that does not yet exist. Now, more than ever, this kind of leadership is essential."
- Frans Timmermans