For Nicolas Hulot, “extending the use of neonicotinoids for the beet industry (…) is not a solution”.

-

SIPA

The former Minister of Ecology Nicolas Hulot "calls on the deputies not to vote" the controversial bill allowing the temporary reintroduction of neonicotinoids to preserve the beet industry, the examination of which begins Monday in the Assembly.

“I call on deputies not to vote for this law.

Extending the use of neonicotinoids for the beet industry, when their ban was voted in 2016, is not a solution, ”he said in an interview with the Journal du dimanche.

The bill provides for the temporary and supervised use of these insecticides, which are harmful to bees.

A scrambled message

The government justifies it by safeguarding a sector which employs 46,000 people, including 25,000 farmers.

Indeed, in many regions, beets grown from seeds not coated with insecticide are affected by “jaundice”, due to a green aphid vector of the disease which weakens the plants.

But with this text, the government is accused of confusing its message on the ecological transition.

If "re-authorizing neonicotinoids is not the solution", Nicolas Hulot concedes that "we cannot leave this sector by the side of the road".

“My foundation estimated the losses for this year at 77 million euros for beet growers.

Let us compensate them in exchange for the implementation of practices: lengthening of rotations, reintroduction of hedges… ”, he says.

"I am not throwing stone at him"

The Minister of Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili, who in 2016 herself brought the law banning these insecticides, now supports their targeted reauthorization.

“I'm not throwing stones at him.

I have been in identical situations having to manage contradictory injunctions ”, assures Nicolas Hulot, who was minister from May 2017 to September 2018 before resigning with a bang, believing that the actions of the executive were insufficient.

In addition, he judges that the parallel between the opponents of 5G and the Amish made by President Emmanuel Macron was "not useful".

“At a time when the Amazon is on fire and the sea ice is melting like snow in the sun, a little humility would not hurt anyone,” judges the former TV host.

Planet

Traces of neonicotinoids in 10% of plant foods, according to an NGO

Planet

Neonicotinoids: Despite the commitments of producers and scientists for the transition, the opposition is getting organized

  • Agriculture

  • Bees

  • ecology

  • Law

  • Pesticides

  • Nicolas hulot

  • Planet