How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% (compared to 1990) by 2030, all in a spirit of social justice? This is the question that will be answered by the 150 citizens who will be drawn by the end of September to participate in the Citizen Convention for the climate.
Announced April 25 by the President in the midst of the Yellow Vests crisis in his speech following the end of the great national debate, this Citizen Convention will aim to formulate concrete proposals to reduce the CO2 emissions of France . These will take the form of legislative or regulatory texts, and will then be directly submitted to either the referendum or the vote of the Parliament, or even directly implemented by regulation.
Get ready! From today you can be contacted to become one of the 150 citizens who will be the future #ConventionCitoyenne pour le climat.
Government (@gouvernementFR) August 26, 2019"Behind this exercise aimed at responding to the climate emergency and the democratic urgency, there is also the desire to put political equality back at the center of the game", explains Julien Blanchet, Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council. and environmental (CESE), appointed general rapporteur of the Citizen Convention for the climate, contacted by France 24. "Today, many have the feeling that this political equality is not real.We have seen that certain categories of the had not taken part in the big national debate at all, so we tried to correct this stumbling block with a draw which will take into account several criteria. "
More than 255,000 people will be contacted to bring together 150 citizens who will form a "descriptive representation" of the French population. Six criteria were defined: sex with a Convention that will be composed, according to the reality of French society, 52% women and 48% men; age, degree level, socio-professional situations, the distribution of people according to the type of territory where they reside (urban center, rural area, etc.), and the geographical area.
"An open sky convention"
The governance committee of the Convention will pay particular attention to the participation of non-graduates, people in extreme poverty, people from priority neighborhoods of city policy and inhabitants of the Overseas.
"No matter the social and geographical origin, the goal is to consider that every citizen is politically competent and that every citizen can participate in the elaboration of the political choices, assures Julien Blanchet." The Convention will be moreover not only the We want it to be open-air and to return to the home of every Frenchman. "
Many moments will be broadcast live on the website of the Convention, on which it will also be possible for everyone to make his own proposals.
Cette "This #ConventionCitoyenne for the #climat is an innovation, which aims to transform the way we build public policies in France" explains @blanchet_julien, General Reporter
👉 https://t.co/bVUhe0NLAa pic.twitter.com/y1T7vAW8V2
The 150 selected citizens, who will meet for six weekends from October 4 and until January 26, will receive compensation, on the model of jurors assizes. Their transportation, accommodation and food costs will also be covered and a childcare allowance will be put in place. In total, approximately € 4 million will be spent on the establishment and operation of the Citizens' Convention on Climate Change.
A democratic solution used in Ireland and Texas
It will be accompanied by experts and professionals of participation, collective deliberation and collective intelligence. A technical and legal support committee will finally be available to assist the 150 citizens in transcribing their proposals in legal terms.
It remains to be seen whether this Citizens' Convention will be just a communication operation for Emmanuel Macron or whether it will lead to concrete progress for the climate. The exercise has already proved its worth abroad, particularly in Ireland, to settle such conflicting issues as the right to abortion or marriage for all. It has also been used in Texas for the energy transition. This oil state is today the state with the most wind turbines in the United States.
"The President of the Republic is committed that the proposals are transmitted without filter to the Parliament, which will have to make politics in the noble sense by taking its responsibilities and by arguing its choices, stresses Julien Blanchet. a bet of sincerity because if we do not go to the end of the exercise, Emmanuel Macron's gesture of confidence will turn into a gesture of distrust. "