Hedegaard in running for EU climate commissioner role

The Danish government has today played down concerns that the Copenhagen Summit could be disrupted after it announced that the minister chairing the talks, Connie Hedegaard, has been nominated for the post of the European Union's first climate commissioner.

Officials said that while Hedegaard would step down as climate and energy minister to be replaced by Lykke Friis, the former pro-dean at Copenhagen University, she would temporarily take up a position as COP president and will continue in her role as chairwoman of the COP 15 summit next month.

Hedegaard's nomination for the new role of climate change commissioner will be assessed by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, who last month announced the creation of the new role to oversee the EU's plans to cut emissions 20 per cent by 2020.

However, Danish prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen signalled that he was confident that Hedegaard, who has been widely praised for her handling of the build-up to the UN's Copenhagen Summit, would secure the role.

"I have explicitly expressed to him [Barroso] that I expect Connie Hedegaard to become the new climate commissioner," Rasmussen said on TV2 news. "It is of course his decision… He puts together his Commission, but he has confirmed to me that Connie Hedegaard will get a portfolio that matches her experience and qualifications."