Sirpa Pietikäinen
| Sirpa Pietikäinen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for the Environment | |
| In office 26 April 1991 – 13 April 1995 | |
| Prime Minister | Esko Aho |
| Preceded by | Kaj Bärlund |
| Succeeded by | Pekka Haavisto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 April 1959 Parikkala, Finland |
| Political party | National Coalition Party |
| Spouse(s) | Tapio Määttä |
| Alma mater | Aalto University |
Sirpa Pietikäinen (born April 19, 1959 in Parikkala, Finland) is a Finnish politician from the National Coalition Party. She is a Member of the European Parliament since 2008, and re-elected in 2009.
She was in the Hämeenlinna town council (1981-1992). She is a former Member of Finnish Parliament, former Minister for the Environment (1991-1995). Pietikäinen was the Chair of Finnish United Nations Association between 1996 and 2007. Pietikäinen was the World Federation of United Nations Associations chairwoman between 2000 and 2004. She has also worked for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and One World International.
Pietikäinen has an MBA degree from Helsinki School of Economics. She has received The Knight Commander's Order of the White Rose of Finland (1993). She speaks Finnish, English, French, Swedish and German.[1]
Her articles have been published in:
- Vanhuus kaupungissa, WSOY 1996
- Naisen seitsemän elämää, WSOY 1998
- Maapallohaaste, Otava 1999
- Kaikesta jää jälki, Avain 2008
- Making the Green Energy Switch at a Time of Crisis (2009)
In 2003, Pietikäinen was convicted of aggravated drunk driving after moving her car in a parking lot at midnight. She was fined, given a suspended prison sentence and banned from driving for five months.[2]
Thoughts about Europe
Pietikäinen sees the European Union should proceed towards a Europe of people, which guarantees the respect of human rights, equal opportunities for all, social inclusion and the access to high quality services. In her opinion, the Union needs to further involve organisations and citizens in the community decision-making process, from the preparatory phase of the work onwards. Also the Union should be more transparent.[3]
Ms. Pietikäinen sees the objectives and strategies, such as the Lisbon strategy, are not enough. The Union would need an enhanced surveillance of the financial sector, obligations in terms of solvability as well as transparency in Europe and worldwide. She also supports reinforcing cooperation and negotiation procedures between employees and trade unions, in order to contribute to the stabilisation of growth. The future growth, in her opinion, spurs from investments in the education and research sectors, in particular in green business.[4]
When it comes to the environment, Ms. Pietikäinen sees Political will is at the core of the environmental challenges: Europe should build an ecologically sustainable model in terms of way of life, transport, production and consumption, as well as the economic and legislative tools which will allow the shift towards this model.[5]
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sirpa Pietikäinen. |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kaj Bärlund |
Minister for the Environment 1991–1995 |
Succeeded by Pekka Haavisto |