Jean Castex, Prime Minister: a new start for the Climate Convention?

This is a timely announcement. Even if it had been floating in the air for several days, the formalization of the departure of Edouard Philippe, replaced by Jean Castex, Friday June 3, and the resignation of the government offers a new start to the proposals of the 150 members of the Citizens' Convention for the climate. Since the speech of Emmanuel Macron, Monday, June 29, promising to transmit 146 of the 149 of these proposals, several ministers have sent worrying signals for the Convention throughout the week.

>> To read: Jean Castex, "Monsieur déconfinement", appointed new Prime Minister

The day after the reception at the Élysée of the members of the Climate Convention, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, said that he was "reserved" regarding the ban on advertising for the most polluting products, a measure proposed by the 150 targeting in particular SUVs. "Let's open the debate on the subject. What I am in favor of is total transparency, that we inform the consumer," he assured on the antenna of BFM TV.

Prohibition of advertising for an SUV: Bruno Le Maire "trusts the collective intelligence of the French" pic.twitter.com/H1olKGb8MV

And in the same interview, he also said no to the 10% to 5.5% reduction in VAT on train tickets. "I am not in favor of touching any VAT. Lowering the VAT is tax expenditure that is very heavy for the State," he said. Do we prefer to lower the VAT to encourage people to take the train or are we using this money to develop rail lines? "

New disappointment for the 150 citizens during questions to the government, Tuesday, June 30, where the Secretary of State for the Economy, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, confirmed that France was going to continue the development of 5G on its territory. "Yes, we are going to launch the 5G auction [to allocate the first frequencies]," replied the minister, questioned in the National Assembly by MP François Ruffin (LFI).

"Yes, we are going to launch the 5G auction. Yes, we have taken on our health and environmental responsibilities. [This] technology is essential to the competitiveness of our country" replies @AgnesRunacher while adding that an inspection mission has been launched #DirectAN pic.twitter.com/ZC6JtEhIm7

The final report of the Climate Convention nevertheless proposed to "accompany the evolution of digital technology to reduce its environmental impacts", and asked for the establishment of "a moratorium on the implementation of 5G pending the results of the evaluation of 5G on health and climate ", in progress by the National Agency for Health Security (ANSES). The latter noted in January the lack of scientific data on the subject and is due to issue its final report in 2021.

"We will be attentive to the positioning of future ministers"

"All these announcements do not correspond to the commitment that we heard from the President of the Republic, so we wondered if there were in fact other jokers," admits Grégoire Fraty, one of the 150 members of the Climate Convention, contacted by France 24, in reference to the three "jokers" that Emmanuel Macron has agreed.

"We do not understand that things are put aside even before the slightest discussion and the least preliminary work. This way of doing things does not respect the presidential word," he added.

>> Read: Climate convention: Macron promises 15 billion euros for "ecological conversion"

Like Grégoire Fraty, several members of the Climate Convention expressed themselves on social networks to express their dissatisfaction, reminding Emmanuel Macron that he had promised them to be able to use a "right to alert". "We are wondering about the subjects already set aside by certain ministers when the promised work and meetings have not yet started. We will therefore be vigilant that no other 'joker' is used without consultation or dialogue", The Les 150 association also announced in a press release published on July 1.

In summary: 146 measures, plus NO joker, ... and 150 citizens ready to make use of their right of alert granted by @EmmanuelMacron!
In view of the last 2 days .. everything suggests that we will quickly use it usage https://t.co/Bkl1dia7Gh

With the arrival of Jean Castex to replace Edouard Philippe and the appointment of new ministers, the Climate Convention can hope for a new team more favorable to its proposals, or in any case, which will offer its members a real dialogue, in accordance with the promise of Emmanuel Macron.

"Everything now depends on the direction that will be given, believes Grégoire Fraty. No matter the identity of the new Prime Minister, what matters is the dialogue that will begin or not with the new team. What is certain is that is that we will be attentive to the positioning of future ministers. "

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