The new Secretary General was not a favorite for the position because he is seen as a climate denier, while the fight against global warming is becoming one of the most important tasks of the OECD. Several environmental organizations expressed their “serious concern” about his candidacy in a letter to the OECD. Greenpeace criticized his “terrible” climate track when he was a minister. Yet he beat the Swedish ex-European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström.
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Cormann succeeds Angel Gurría, who announced in July last year that he would not run for the position again. The former Mexican foreign minister will have headed the OECD for a total of 15 years.
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