The Challenges of Climate Change

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:00 in Discussion Forums

Tags:

Linda McAwan

Where: Hilton Hotel, Neville Street, Leeds, LS1 4BX

Biography

Linda McAwan was born and brought up in Eccleshill, Bradford and now lives in Sheffield with her husband Paul. She is one of six MEPs representing the region, and since the 2009 European election the sole Labour representative.

• Member of the European Parliament's Environment, Public Health & Food Safety Committee, she also serves as Labour's spokesperson on these issues.

• Serves on the Development Committee and as Vice Chair of the Joint African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Assembly.

• Senior Strategy Officer of European Affairs with Barnsley Borough Council between 1995 and 1998.

• European Officer for the Coalfields Community Campaign between 1991 and 1995.

• Worked in Brussels in various EU-related bodies between 1984 and 1991.

• Studied languages at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh and is fluent in French and Spanish.

• She was the only Labour MEP to sit on the Convention on the Future of Europe which was responsible for drafting the EU Constitution.

• In 2008 she was a member of the Temporary Committee on Climate Change, which was charged with co-ordinating the work of the Parliament in delivering the EU's Climate Change Package.

• Linda's special interests include climate change, Fair Trade, Brain Disorders and economic regeneration.