Ilaria Casillo, vice-president of the CNDP, emphasizes the need for dialogue on industrial projects and their environmental impacts. Recent changes in the simplification bill have raised concerns, particularly the removal of low emission zones and the dissolution of consultative bodies. These alterations could hinder public participation in projects with significant environmental consequences, while broadening the definition of ‘major national interest’ may facilitate industrial development in sensitive areas. Critics warn of diminishing democratic processes and potential health risks linked to industrial proximity.
“Industrial projects and their environmental consequences are worthy of thorough discussion,” states Ilaria Casillo, vice-president of the CNDP.
Key Changes in the Simplification Bill
The unexpected removal of ‘low emission zones’ (LEZ) marks a pivotal moment in the special committee’s review of the ‘simplification’ bill, which wrapped up on March 27. Contrary to the government’s stance, the National Assembly’s special committee rejected this move, citing concerns about its repercussions on lower-income families.
Additionally, the committee took the step of abolishing numerous consultative bodies deemed as ‘Theodule committees’. The government plans to leverage the text’s return in the session starting April 8 to remove industrial projects from the purview of the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP). This independent authority is crucial for ensuring public access to information and participation regarding environmentally impactful projects.
Currently, public debates are mandatory for projects exceeding 600 million euros, but following these changes, organizing such debates may become optional for significant undertakings like lithium mines or carbon storage facilities. An aide to the Prime Minister highlighted that while Germany typically requires a nine-month process for industrial projects, France averages between 18 months and three years.
According to the CNDP, the average time from the decision to start a public debate to the final report is 13.3 months.
Furthermore, deputies broadened the definition of ‘major national interest’ to encompass infrastructure projects, including roads, highways, and airports, granting them ‘priority status’. Learning from the administrative court’s stoppage of the A69 highway project, they opened the door for all infrastructure projects to cite a ‘compelling reason of major public interest’ from their inception. France Nature Environnement (FNE) has expressed concerns that this measure could ease the establishment of industrial projects in habitats of protected species.
Consequences for Consultative Bodies
Ilaria Casillo emphasizes the need for dialogue, affirming that respecting the right to information and participation is critical. She points out that the gap between legal procedures and public perception of legitimacy continues to widen.
Frédéric Graber, an environmental historian at CNRS, warns that this situation is part of a broader trend diminishing the role of the CNDP and participatory mechanisms surrounding industrial and infrastructure projects, all under the pretext of administrative efficiency.
Other consultative entities, such as regional economic, social and environmental councils (Ceser), the National Observatory of Urban Policy (ONPV), and the National Council of the Mountain, have also been dissolved. Minister Delegate for the City, Juliette Méadel, asserts that the ONPV is a unique body that provides independent and scientific evaluations of urban policy at a modest cost.
Mountain representatives have protested the abolition of their consultative assembly, established four decades ago, calling it ‘a cause for concern in the context of climate change’.
In a show of unity, nine regional presidents from various political backgrounds voiced their opposition to the removal of the Ceser, arguing that consultation bodies are more essential than ever for local governance.
Guillaume Gourgues, a political science lecturer at Lyon-II, notes a troubling trend where both the RN and extreme factions of LR aim to dismantle consultative bodies without a clear understanding of their purpose, reflecting a populist rhetoric reminiscent of Trump’s era. This, he argues, signals a diminishing quality of discourse surrounding state reform.
FNE also highlights the correlation between industrial site proximity and health issues, including cancers. Axèle Gibert from FNE stresses the importance of achieving a balance between industrial growth and public health protection.
Researcher Nicolas Rio, co-author of ‘To End Participatory Democracy’, warns that hastening processes could exacerbate conflicts. “By rushing the steps, we significantly increase the risk of confrontational disputes,” he asserts.