--- description: Find out why Frans Timmermans is one of the 100 most influential people of 2021. title: Frans Timmermans: The 100 Most Influential People of 2021 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt168555c840385886/698a1cac929fad3df3bf7ac3/frans-immermans-time-100-2021.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Sep 15, 2021 # Frans Timmermans by Christiana Figueres  Frans Timmermans Wiktor Dabkowski—picture alliance/dpa/AP Frans Timmermans Wiktor Dabkowski—picture alliance/dpa/APWiktor Dabkowski—picture alliance/dpa/AP The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [report](https://time.com/6088618/ipcc-climate-change-ar6/ "undefined") leaves no doubt about the fact that we stand on the edge of a precipice beyond which human prosperity on this planet can no longer be taken for granted. Unless we radically change our ways, we severely endanger our social, political and economic future. Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Commission, understands the risk we face, and has stepped up. He has presented the [Fit for 55 program](https://time.com/6080479/climate-change-eu-border-carbon-tax/ "undefined") in the E.U., an ambitious package of regulatory instruments to cut E.U. greenhouse-­gas emissions by 55% by 2030—an important milestone toward the goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050\. The long-term gain of the policies is clear and compelling. Though the short-term implementation is much more of a challenge, Timmermans is committed to ensuring justice in the transition. He walks where few have ventured forth, but where all nations must follow. [_Figueres_](https://time.com/collection-post/4299640/christiana-figueres-2016-time-100/ "undefined") _is a co-founder of Global Optimism and a former executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change_ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2021/6095811/frans-timmermans-2/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2021/6095811/frans-timmermans-2/"},"headline":"Frans Timmermans","datePublished":"2021-09-15T11:19:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-07-21T07:22:13.773Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2021/6095811/frans-timmermans-2/","keywords":["TIME 100","franchise","T100 2021","T100 2021 Pioneers"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt168555c840385886/698a1cac929fad3df3bf7ac3/frans-immermans-time-100-2021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"creator":"TIME Staff","articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt168555c840385886/698a1cac929fad3df3bf7ac3/frans-immermans-time-100-2021.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/100-most-influential-people-2021/6095811/frans-timmermans-2/","name":"Frans Timmermans"}}]}] ```