INTERVIEW
The result of the municipal elections was a demonstration: the French place the fight against global warming at the heart of their concerns. While Barbara Pompili has been appointed Minister of the Ecological Transition, the head of Veolia launched an appeal to the government on Tuesday evening on Europe 1.
"There are in this country the largest companies specializing in the environment who are ready to implement solutions. A large part of the solutions exist to solve the problem of ecological requirements", assured Antoine Frérot. "There are still things to invent for later, but a large part exists. The challenge is to scale them up. We have the means," continued the CEO of the company. specializing in water, waste and energy management.
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"The ecological emergency is not without solution"
The head of Veolia is convinced of this: "ecological transformation is an important concern for citizens." But will Barbara Pompili have the means to act, unlike Nicolas Hulot, who had resigned in 2018 after a year and three months in the same position? "I think so," said Antoine Frérot positively.
"The Citizens' Climate Convention has shown that the ecological emergency is not without solution, that there are solutions."
"Working by polluting, it costs more than working cleanly"
The head of Veolia also praised the merits of a cleaner economy. "Working cleanly requires more effort than working by polluting, but it is necessary", he certifies. "Working by polluting, it costs more than working cleanly, because the polluter must pay to clean up his pollution. However, if we use this money to subsidize those who clean up, we go twice as fast to clean up and it costs half as much dear, "added the Veolia boss.
"And I bet that from the minute it costs more to work by polluting than to work without polluting, everyone will work without polluting", concluded Antoine Frérot.