- The Citizen's Climate Convention submitted its proposals on Sunday to fight global warming.
- Eagerly awaited on ecological questions, the Head of State undertook to take up the proposals “without filter”.
- But the "ambition" of the Citizens' Convention and the economic crisis could make it difficult to implement.
Emmanuel Macron caught in his own trap? Released from its hat at the end of the great national debate in spring 2019, the Citizen Climate Convention ends this Sunday. This find by the head of state to reconcile the participative democracy demanded by certain yellow vests and ecological imperatives was put in place last October. After eight months of work, its 150 members returned their copy to fight against global warming "in a spirit of social justice".
“Constitution, ecocide, OK for a referendum. For the rest, let the power take its responsibilities ”, launched this Sunday one of the participants. Pressure is now on the executive to put in place all of the measures. But in a context of post-Covid 19 economic recession, will the head of state keep his promise?
“Now it's up to politicians to do their job and it's up to you to defend your proposals. You will have to defend your proposals before the French. We are proud of you ”👥🌍 @ cdion, guarantor of the #ConventionCitoyenne for the #climat pic.twitter.com/zVLoN4ECZ9
- Citizen Climate Convention (@Conv_Citoyenne) June 21, 2020"The citizens have done their job and now put the executive before its responsibilities"
Emmanuel Macron must provide “first responses” on June 29, during a meeting with the 150 participants. The president undertook to take up "without filter" the proposals of the Convention, evoking three possible ways of application: by regulation, vote by the Parliament or referendum. But while the track for a multiple-question referendum has been gaining momentum in the executive, the members of the Climate Convention have played against each other. If they want to ask the French the question of the introduction of the fight against global warming in the Constitution and the creation of a crime of "ecocide", they prefer to refer the executive to "its responsibilities" for the application of the most concrete measures.
"The citizens have done their part of the work and now put the executive before its responsibilities to act as quickly as possible, on energy renovation, artificialisation of soil, food ...", supports ex-LREM Matthieu Orphelin, now co-chair of the Ecology, Democracy and Solidarity parliamentary group. "It is up to the president and the government to take action to achieve this great ecological shift".
"Emmanuel Macron finds himself a little trapped"
The Head of State knows he is eagerly awaited on environmental issues, one of the issues announced for the next presidential election. But implementing these proposals could prove complicated. "Passing ideas arising from a deliberation into regulation is often tricky, as we saw during the Grenelle Environment Forum in 2007, which generated a lot of frustration", recalls Daniel Boy, research director at Sciences Po Paris. “Emmanuel Macron finds himself a little trapped. Its ecological balance sheet is considered insufficient, even by the High Council for the Climate that it has created. He must therefore give pledges to some of the voters, but his majority will find it difficult to vote for measures as radical as those proposed by the Convention, "said the specialist in political ecology.
“It is a happy surprise that the package of measures is so massive and ambitious. But Emmanuel Macron will have to give a new direction to his majority, because measures have already been rejected by the LREM deputies, like some of my amendments on the regulation of advertising, ”adds Matthieu Orphelin.
What place for ecology in the post-Covid 19 recovery plan?
Other proposals, such as renegotiating CETA, halving the use of pesticides in 2030 or limiting the speed on the highway to 110 km / h, could prove politically flammable and polarize public opinion. . “We start with a logic of decrease, of constraint, of punishment. However ecology that should not be the punishment, but the art of being able to live in good conditions ”, already reacted this Sunday Christian Jacob, the boss of the Republicans, on BFMTV.
The economic context has also changed significantly since October. The executive is currently working on its recovery plan in the face of the recession into which the pandemic has plunged the economy. "With the economic crisis and rising unemployment, will the public's priority be to stay on a recovery conditional on ecology? Will Air France, which is bankrupt, accept the abolition of domestic flights? Will owners and lessors be able to meet the demand for mandatory thermal renovation of buildings? “, Lists Daniel Boy.
Emmanuel Macron, who promised "economic, ecological and solidarity reconstruction", could provide details during his next speech, scheduled for July. The members of the Convention, for their part, announced the creation of an association, "Les 150", to monitor their project.
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The Citizens Climate Convention for a referendum on the constitution and the crime of ecocide
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Citizens' Climate Convention: Delegates return their copy this Sunday
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