Connie Hedegaard
Encyclopedia
Connie Hedegaard is a Danish politician and public intellectual who has been European Commissioner for Climate Action
in the (second Barroso) European Commission
since 10 February 2010.
On behalf of Denmark, she hosted the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. She was Danish Minister for Climate and Energy from 23 November 2007 as a member of the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III
and that of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
and had been the Danish
Minister for the Environment
from 2 August 2004 to 23 November 2007, as a member of the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
and II
.
In Denmark, she was a member of the Conservative People's Party
(DKF), and was a member of parliament (Folketing
) from 10 January 1984 to 3 October 1990. She was also elected a member of the Folketing in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election. Prior to becoming a minister, she worked as a journalist at DR, the Danish national broadcaster.
According to the mandate outlined by President Barroso, her principal responsibilities as Commissioner for Climate Action will be:
In order to carry out her responsibilities, Connie Hedegaard will have a newly created Directorate-General for Climate Action which builds on the climate directorate which was previously in the Directorate-General for Environment.
, took the post of Director of DR Radio News, and was the anchor for Deadline, a Danish TV news program.
Diving back into politics in 2004, she became Minister of the Environment. A year later, she became Minister for Nordic Cooperation. After the November 2007 general election, she was chosen as Minister for Climate and Energy. In May 2008, she told Denmark, “Sustainable economic growth is an attainable objective. The Nordic Region has made great progress with solutions based on environmental technology, and some day it will be possible to stockpile energy generated from renewable sources such as windmills, and to run vehicles purely on excess energy.”
Her most recent important assignment has been preparing and hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen
.
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European Climate Change Programme
The European Climate Change Programme was launched in June 2000 by the European Union's European Commission, toward avoiding dangerous climate change....
in the (second Barroso) European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
since 10 February 2010.
On behalf of Denmark, she hosted the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. She was Danish Minister for Climate and Energy from 23 November 2007 as a member of the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III
The third Cabinet of Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was announced on November 23, 2007.-Changes from the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II:...
and that of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Cabinet of Lars Løkke Rasmussen
The cabinet of Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, was announced on April 5, 2009 as Lars Løkke became prime minister after Anders Fogh Rasmussen was offered the post of Secretary General of NATO on April 4, 2009....
and had been the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Minister for the Environment
Minister for the Environment (Denmark)
Minister for the Environment of Denmark is the politically appointed head of the Danish Ministry of the Environment, and a member of the Cabinet...
from 2 August 2004 to 23 November 2007, as a member of the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
After the 2001 Danish parliamentary election, Anders Fogh Rasmussen was able form a government coalition of his own Liberal Party Venstreand the Conservative People's Party. It was a minority government with the parliamentary support of the Danish People's Party. The resulting cabinet is called the...
and II
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen retained his parliamentary support in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election, and was able to continue as head of his government. On 18 February 2005, he presented his updated cabinet, the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II...
.
In Denmark, she was a member of the Conservative People's Party
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
(DKF), and was a member of parliament (Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
) from 10 January 1984 to 3 October 1990. She was also elected a member of the Folketing in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election. Prior to becoming a minister, she worked as a journalist at DR, the Danish national broadcaster.
Priorities as European Commissioner
Taking up her new position at the European Commission on 10 February 2010, Connie Hedegaard stressed the importance of climate change in the 21st century. She hoped that by the end of her five-year term, Europe would be the most climate friendly region in the world. Her priorities would be to implement the European Climate and Energy package and to continue her efforts towards an ambitious international climate agreement.According to the mandate outlined by President Barroso, her principal responsibilities as Commissioner for Climate Action will be:
- to help the European Union (EU) to meet its targets for 2020 and beyond to reduce greenhouse gas emissionsGasGas is one of the three classical states of matter . Near absolute zero, a substance exists as a solid. As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point , boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons...
; - to develop and implement the European Union Emission Trading SchemeEuropean Union Emission Trading SchemeThe European Union Emissions Trading Scheme also known as the European Union Emissions Trading System, was the first large emissions trading scheme in the world. It was launched in 2005 to combat climate change and is a major pillar of EU climate policy...
and to promote its links with other carbon tradingCarbon tradingCarbon trading may refer to:*Carbon emission trading*Personal carbon trading*Emissions trading...
systems with the ultimate aim of building an international carbon trading market, - to help promote the development and demonstration of low carbonLow carbon technologyLow carbon technology can refer to:* Low-carbon building* Low Carbon Building Programme* Low Carbon Communities* Low-carbon economy* Low-carbon emission* Low-carbon fuel standard* Low carbon power generationRelated topics include:* 2000-watt society...
and adaptation technologies and to develop a strong science and economic base for EU climate policy; - to have cross cutting responsibility for developing adaptation to climate changeAdaptation to global warmingAdaptation to global warming and climate change is a response to climate change that seeks to reduce the vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate change effects. Even if emissions are stabilized relatively soon, climate change and its effects will last many years, and adaptation will...
inside the EU and for working with other Commissioners, to ensure that an appropriate climate dimension is present in all Community policies; to build on the White Paper on adaptation to climate change and to help develop adaptation strategies across all policy areas.
In order to carry out her responsibilities, Connie Hedegaard will have a newly created Directorate-General for Climate Action which builds on the climate directorate which was previously in the Directorate-General for Environment.
Background
Connie Hedegaard holds an MA in Literature and History. She has been a member of the Conservative Party and active in government on and off since 1984, when she was elected as the hitherto youngest member of the Folketing, the Danish national parliament, where she sat for six years. In 1990, she left politics to pursue a career in journalism. Over the next 14 years, she worked as a journalist at the newspaper Berlingske TidendeBerlingske Tidende
Berlingske, previously known as Berlingske Tidende , is a Danish national daily newspaper based in Copenhagen...
, took the post of Director of DR Radio News, and was the anchor for Deadline, a Danish TV news program.
Diving back into politics in 2004, she became Minister of the Environment. A year later, she became Minister for Nordic Cooperation. After the November 2007 general election, she was chosen as Minister for Climate and Energy. In May 2008, she told Denmark, “Sustainable economic growth is an attainable objective. The Nordic Region has made great progress with solutions based on environmental technology, and some day it will be possible to stockpile energy generated from renewable sources such as windmills, and to run vehicles purely on excess energy.”
Her most recent important assignment has been preparing and hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Connie Hedegaard and Denmark's energy policies
Since 2007, Connie Hedegaard has been behind Denmark’s energy successes. In April, she signed an action plan with India on renewable energy. One notable achievement was her role in introducing Denmark’s Energy Policy 2008–2011. The policy made her country the first in the world to commit to an overall energy reduction, not just a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It includes the following language.- Energy Savings: A target of 2% reduction of total energy use from 2006 levels by 2011, and 4% by 2020.
- Renewable Energy: Increased biomass/waste and wind energy and provide large, annual subsidies for solar and wave energy. Regarding wind power, plans include support for two 200 MW offshore wind farms that are scheduled to begin energy production in 2012. Additionally, money has been set aside for informational and labeling campaigns aimed at replacing oil-fired furnaces with heat pumps.
- Energy taxes: Higher taxes on CO2 emitters, as well as a new tax on emitters of nitrogen oxide (NOx).
- Energy technology: Doubled funding for energy technology R&D.
- Transport: Extended the electric vehicle tax exemption to 2012 and introduced a tax exemption for hydrogen vehicles. Planned a tests scheme for electric vehicles. Set the goal to use 5.75% biofuels for all land transit by 2010 and 10% by 2020, in line with EU targets.
External links
- Commissioner Connie Hedegaard Official website
- Connie Hedegaard Official Media Gallery
- Interview: Hans Jørgen Koch Explains Why IRENA Is "50 times More than the IEA"
- CV (in English) from the European Commission.
- Connie Hedegaard talking at The Barbara Ward Lecture in 2010 in London.
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