“This five -year period will be ecological or not.” These words pronounced by Emmanuel Macron, a candidate for re -election in 2022, seem to be out today. Three years later, while he holds the keys of the elysée, ecology lives a dark week.
“We have lived the worst week for ecology for a long time,” laments the National Secretary of Environmentalists, Marino Tondelier. She compares the situation with the “nightmare” of American dramatic comedy You look up. An Adam McKay movie, in which scientists try to alert about the imminent arrival of the destructive meteorite, in vain.
“The meteorite is not for tomorrow, it is for now”, Image the regional advisor of Hauts-de-France. “If ecology loses, all humanity loses.”
But since Monday, May 26, the Bourbon Palace seems to have a protective dome: the threat of this “meteorite” which is global warming seems very far. The measures taken during Emmanuel Macron’s first term were unraveled by fractured deputies.
• First act: the return of the neonicotinoids
The first objective? The prohibition since 2018 of pesticides of the neonicotinoid family since 2018. Among the five prohibited substances, one is in the heart of tensions: acetamipride. The Dumpomb agricultural bill, called by the name of its initiator, Senator LR Laurent Dupomb, establishes its reintroduction into a derogatory “for a period of three years.” Like Brussels, which gave its green light to this neonicotinoid until 2033.
In support of the law, farmers who praise the effectiveness of neonicotinoids against certain insects that destroy the crops of sugar beet or hazelnuts. Taking into account that it does not have an alternative solution to fight these pests, French farmers denounce the unfair competition of European neighbors.
On the other hand, their detractors point to the negative effects of these products on humans. “The acetamipride is an extremely dangerous pesticide,” warns BFMTV the environmental deputy for Charente-Maritime, Benoît Biteau. At this stage, these health risks remain uncertain, due to lack of magnitude.
Environmental defenders also deplore the consequences of neonicotinoids in essential pollinators for biodiversity. Which applies to these substances the title of “bees murderers”.
The frame that is established, give way to parliamentary headaches. In addition to the tensions of the substance, the strategic maneuver that was subject to the bill on Monday made the banks to the left of the assembly.
Allied with the right, the central block rejected its own bill when voting a “motion of rejection.” Your goal? In addition to the “wall” of the more than 2,000 environmental and rebel amendments as “mass obstruction.” According to this tactic, the deputies directly returned the text to a joint joint commission (CMP). This body that brings together seven deputies and seven senators will have to agree on a common version, from the version already adopted in the Senate. Thus giving an advantage in the negotiations to the members of the upper chamber.
A “49.3 disguised”, a “blow of strength”, “a denial of serious democracy” … the reactions were hurried to the left to the left of this first defeat for the ecology of the week. In response, LFI presented a motion of censure.
• Second act: The reverse on site A69
Two days later, a recording file returned to the table. Directorate of the Pink City, in southern France, and its Administrative Court of Appeal. The Justice of Toulouse authorized on Wednesday, May 28, the resumption of the A69 highway site on Wednesday, May 28, between Toulouse and Castres since mid -June. He said in an emergency appeal presented by the State, with the aim of restarting this 53 -kilometer project.
Astonishment for environmentalists. From the beginning of this project, with the aim of opening the Southern Tarn, they denounce their damage to the environment. They deplore in particular the hundreds of affected agricultural hectares and the hundred protected species threatened.
The shower is colder, since they were delighted three months ago from the suspension of the site to the hundreds of millions of euros that began in 2023. The Toulouse Administrative Court had made this decision due to lack of “imperative reason for great public interest (RIIPM)” that justifies the damage to the environment caused by the A69.
While Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot speaks of a “real relief,” environmentalists denounced in X “a decision against the environment, against civic will, against common sense.”
“I am not against the A69, I am throughout the life and future of our children,” the head of the Tondelier marine party was launched in BFMTV.
“Do they have children, these policies that send us directly to the wall today? “They do not listen to us, we are not listening to us,” deplores the environmental activist who wants to boost the dispute even more when starting a thirst strike as soon as work resumes.
However, a ray of hope continues for the detractors of the project. Administrative justice must still decide in a few months at the bottom of the file. “The legal battle continues, the victory is still possible,” the environmentalists reassured that they do not mention the pass of arms that develops in Parliament.
In mid -May, the Senate adopted a so -called “validation” bill that establishes authorizing the continuation of the site, without waiting for the Court of Administrative Appeal on merits to be pronounced. As of this Monday, June 2 on Monday, the deputies will take over, with good adoption possibilities. Enough to make opponents shiver with the A69 that judges this text contrary to the Constitution. Second defeat for ecology.
• Third act: concrete is resuming the earth
Back in the banks of the Bourbon Palace. It is not concrete sunk by the company of Atosca by the A69 highway that interested the deputies on Wednesday, but that concerned about the principle of “net artificialization zero” (ZAN). A device to fight the concrete of natural and agricultural areas.
Within the framework of the bill on economic simplification, elected officials of the correct wing and the approved national concentration, of a short majority, of new divergements.
The article adopted makes it possible “to overcome up to 30%” the limit of the natural surfaces arranged, “without justification.” Another amendment, voted with part of the macronists, excluded from the ZAN counting the constructions recognized by the decree as a “project of great national interest.” The objective is to allow industrial projects to flourish in the country.
This device, born in 2021 of the Climate Agreement convened by Emmanuel Macron, was “completely emptied from his substance” was delighted with the elected Pierre Meurin. When the left blamed for not having convinced the few missing voices. “There will be sooner or later breaks,” warned the environmental member of Vienna, Lise Belluco. Third defeat of the week for ecology, but the day is not over …
• Fourth act: Retropeding in ZFE
The coup of grace was carried by the abolition of low emission areas (ZFE). A device intended to allow local communities to decide the restriction of the circulation of the most polluting vehicles and, often, the oldest, near their cities. The objective is to reduce air pollution for both the environment and health. “Air pollution causes more than 8,000 premature deaths every year at île-de-France,” said the city of Paris in a press release.
But critic flows to the waves. Many political leaders, especially to the right, consider that ZFES excludes the categories of the population that do not have financial means to change cars or means of transport.
As a result, this flagship system and the resistance of the first five -year term of Emmanuel Macron underwent a setback this Wednesday, May 28. By the macronists who had voted in 2019.
“It is a negative for the government,” said BFMTV, the regional councilor of île-de-France, Jean-Baptiste Pegeon.
The deputies of RN, Law or LFI have also voted for their suppression against environmentalists and socialists.
The head of the RN Marine Le Pen praised the “defeat of punitive ecology” when the Republican Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called to improve the system through “common sense measures”, but “certainly not by mounting the French against the French.” The rebels on the other hand welcomed a “victory” against “an unfair device”, while it was “urgent to plan our mobility by putting real means in alternatives in public transport.”
This transpartisan vote has also caused a stir. The High Planning Commissioner, Clément Beaune, deplored this Friday at the RMC microphone “on Friday” political alliances “,” positions that make LFI and the RN “, while cleaning his presidential camp. The former transport minister also denounced a” public debate “in which Trumpist Post-Glass” reigned with “lies.”
But, again, optimism persists for ZFE defenders. The Constitutional Council risk censoring the amendment under the pretext that it would be a legislative rider. Any of the measure introduced by an amendment in a law in preparation that has no connection with the text in question.
The abolition of the ZFE described “fatal error for future generations” by the socialist mayor of Montpellier, Michaël Delafosse, is not yet ratified. An upcoming victory for ecology?
Source: BFM TV
