Claude Turmes: ‘In Council, I will continue running the show for Europe and the planet’

(EurActiv, 26 Jun 2018) Former MEP Claude Turmes is attending his first Environment Council meeting on Monday (25 June), days after he left the European Parliament to join the government of Luxembourg. In an interview with EURACTIV, he explains how he sees his new role and what he hopes to achieve.

Claude Turmes is a former Member of the European Parliament for Luxembourg, sitting with the Greens/EFA group. On 20 June, he took up a new role in the Luxembourg government as state secretary for the environment.

Turmes was the Parliament’s rapporteur on the proposed regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union on which EU legislators struck an agreement on 20 June. He spoke to EURACTIV’s Frédéric Simon on 18 June, ahead of talks with the Council and the Commission.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Luxembourg has “huge traffic jams” and needs a combination of better spatial planning as well as lower fuel taxes in order to address “tank tourism”;
  • In the Council, Luxembourg will “make the point” about CO2 emissions from cars and trucks;
  • Turmes plans to “organise progressive majorities” in the Council – “and if necessary blocking minorities” – on key pieces of EU environmental legislation;
  • Move to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 is needed to make the electrification of transport credible.

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At the end of June, you will take on a new position as state secretary for environment in Luxembourg. What will be your priorities there?

First you have to understand that this move comes from a dramatic event. My best political friend and climate hero in Luxembourg, Camille Gira, died three weeks ago. This is a very big loss not only for the Green Party but for the whole environmental movement in Luxembourg. So there was no choice, in such dramatic moments, you have to take your responsibilities.

As state secretary for the environment, Camille was working on the circular economy, national climate politics, and also biodiversity and nature protection, which at the national level involves planning permissions for all kinds of infrastructure.

One of his big successes was his initiative to outlaw killing of foxes, which are now protected in Luxembourg. And that will be one of my fights to ensure no-one in future shoots these precious animals, because there is absolutely no reason.

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EurActiv, 26 Jun 2018: Claude Turmes: ‘In Council, I will continue running the show for Europe and the planet’