Washington, D.C. — Today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Italy’s Mauro Petriccione, director-general of the European Union’s climate division, has passed away. In response, John Podesta, founder and chair of the board of directors at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
Mauro Petriccione was a key leader in Europe’s recent bold efforts to decarbonize—but more than that, he was a wonderful compatriot in the global fight against climate change. In my work with him, he was a thoughtful and effective partner on U.S.-EU climate strategy. He always used his considerable talent, experience, and wisdom to find common approaches to increase climate ambition. I’m shocked and saddened by his untimely passing, and he will be sorely missed on the international stage.
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