The “pause” demanded by the Head of State on Friday on European environmental standards has raised concerns in Brussels and among environmentalists.
“A European regulatory break.” In front of the actors of the French industry, Thursday, May 11, Emmanuel Macron estimated that the environmental standards of the EU were certainly “best” and that it was appropriate to apply them, but above all not to add more, in the name of a need for “stability”. Barely pronounced, the formula caused a reaction, especially in the ranks of the left and environmentalists. The Elysée immediately wanted to clarify the words of the Head of State: “The president is not talking about suspension, but about carrying out the decisions already made.” And the Prime Minister to insist, Saturday, from Reunion, by affirming that“there is no pause at all in climate ambition” from France.
The Head of State also affirmed, during his speech, that he wanted “reduce emissions” greenhouse gases, caused by human activities and responsible for climate change, or even “decarbonize the industry”as noted Release. This is why the term “break” chosen by the President of the Republic raises concerns.
Because there are certainly many standards, but they are considered necessary
While Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed, on Friday during a visit to Dunkirk (North), that it was no longer necessary “add” of environmental standards, after the application of the European Union’s Green Deal, several specialists, such as lawyer Arnaud Gossementrecognized that European environmental law was “gossipy”. Thus resulting in “badly drafted standards, modified as soon as voted or purely symbolic” without real “means” to apply them.
However, as lawyer and former Minister of the Environment Corinne Lepage points out in The Parisian, “if the Code [de l’environnement] has grown, it is because environmental issues have grown, new issues have appeared such as GMOs, biotechnologies, wind turbines or the dangerousness of pesticides and because environmental and health standards are logically more and more severe”.
Because the Giec warns against any “additional delay”
“For five years, we deliver what we planned to deliver, and that’s already a lot, and we stop adding more”, continued to justify the Minister Delegate for Industry, Roland Lescure, on franceinfo Thursday. This five-year break was however seen by activists or elected environmentalists as the announcement of a “break ecological”. And this in the midst of the climate crisis.
“The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change poses a threat to the well-being of humanity and the health of the planet”thus clearly establishes the relationship (in English) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
“Any further delay in concerted and anticipated global action on adaptation and mitigation will cause us to miss the brief window of opportunity we have to secure a viable and sustainable future for all.”
Faced with this urgency, the expression of “break” was therefore read as “climaticide”. “We are at a point in history where we cannot guarantee children born in 2023 that the planet will still be habitable when they turn 30”protested on franceinfo Marine Tondelier, national secretary of EELV.
Because a moratorium on regulations is already under discussion in the European Parliament
While most of the Green Pact, the European Union’s package of key texts on the climate, has been adopted, such as the reform of the carbon market or the end of sales of thermal engine cars, some are still subject to difficult negotiations. The president’s remarks were immediately perceived by some as an alignment of France with the demands of the European right.
The EPP group, the main formation in Parliament, is in fact calling for “a moratorium” on certain legislative projects related to pesticides and the restoration of nature, being alarmed at an impact that is too heavy for farmers and “threat” for food security. Other laws (packaging, polluting emissions from farms, etc.) are the subject of fierce discussions. “We have been defending the idea of a legislative moratorium for several months. We are almost going to ask Emmanuel Macron for a copyright”reacted François-Xavier Bellamy, MEP Les Républicains, quoted by The world.
The president, however, clarified that this break should take place after the adoption of the Green Deal. “France is in no way defending a moratorium (…) There is no change of course, simply attention to ensuring that the rules are practicable by all economic players”also refuted to AFP Pascal Canfin, Renaissance MEP who chairs the Environment Committee in the European Parliament.
Because Europe’s commitments are still considered insufficient
“We are ahead, in regulatory terms, of the Americans, the Chinese or any other power in the world”, justified Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. Through these comparisons, the Head of State has established Europe as a champion of standards for the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment.
It has indeed adopted a carbon tax at the borders, the end of the sale of thermal cars in 2035, the acceleration of the share of renewable energies, the end of imports resulting from deforestation or even the reform of the carbon market. But is the first place well deserved? “It is both true and false and we had better sweep in front of our door. Because France has regularly sat down on European law, particularly in terms of hunting or the banning of certain pesticides such as neonicotinoids”responds to Parisian Arnaud Gossement. Questioned by franceinfo, the campaign manager for the association Les Amis de la Terre, Lorette Philippot, is also worried about “downgrade, while we are still a long way in Europe and France from meeting our climate objectives”.
Because, if the European standards are “best”, according to Emmanuel Macron, they are still not enough to respect the Paris agreement. According to the Climate Action Tracker (in English)a body created by a community of experts that assesses European climate policies, action and promises are not yet sufficient to keep global warming below 2°C, according to the latest available analysis from November 2022.
Because the decarbonization of the industrial sector is underway
The formula having been pronounced in front of the actors of the French industry, some denounce a “communication error”. Simone Tagliapietra, of the Bruegel Institute, a pro-European think tank, sees in this a risk of “implicitly give the wrong message that ecological goals run counter to industrial goals”. “You have to be very careful, because there are forces, especially populist parties, who think that way”worries the economist.
To achieve climate objectives and curb the rise in temperatures, the industrial sector will have to decarbonise, while it represents 19% of greenhouse gas emissions in France and 14% in Europe. The transition is underway, assures the High Council for the Climate in its latest report. “All the major emitting sectors are now experiencing a drop in their emissions. The drop is well established and structural in the building, industry and energy sectors. It has nevertheless slowed down since 2015 in these last two sectors”, can you read there. The report also highlights that the decarbonization roadmaps established for “the chemical, cement, mining-metallurgy and papermaking sub-sectors, which account for nearly 75% of emissions of industry (…) lack ambition in relation to the [stratégie nationale bas-carbone] and the actions identified are not very operational”.