Claude Turmes

Greens/EFA
Luxembourg

A former sports teacher and environmental science graduate, Claude Turmes was also secretary of the Luxembourg section of Friends of the Earth from 1995-1997. The 48 yearold has been an MEP for 10 years and is widely respected as a high-profile campaigner on a range of green issues, including the promotion of renewable energy. Turmes successfully steered the parliament’s recent report on the renewable energy directive. That report confirmed the aim of achieving by 2020 a 20 per cent share of energy from renewable sources and a 10 per cent share of energy from renewable sources in each member state’s transport energy consumption. Turmes’ nomination cites his major input to the work on establishing reasonable sustainability standards for biofuels and for ensuring that indirect land use change must be addressed by the European Commission.

With a passion for human rights and environmental issues, Finnish deputy Eija-Riitta Korhola is widely recognised as one of the parliament’s most hardworking MEPs. A former TV, radio and print journalist, Korhola is now entering her third term as an MEP. She has served on several parliamentary committees, including environment, internal market and the subcommittee in human rights. She is currently a vice chair of parliament’s internal market committee and substitute on the industry, research and energy committee. Korhola has attended every one of the climate change ‘COPs’ campaigning for emission reductions without creating unemployment. As an expert on Emission Trading Schemes, she attracted the support of the Parliament’s EPP group for her insightful line towards energy and employment intensive industries.

A lawyer by profession, the 36 yearold has been executive director of business for Scotland and a member of the Scottish National Party since 1997. A member of the agriculture committee, his nomination citation says he has demonstrated a significant interest in the energy sector, both in oil and gas and more recently renewables where he has been a strong proponent of all forms of renewable energy. He has worked closely with SeaEnergy (offshore wind farm development) and other renewable developers to advance new technologies that are seen as crucial to overcoming future energy challenges. Smith has readily grasped the importance of, and worked hardto promote, sustainable energy and to ensure that renewable generation can obtain fair access to the grid.