Though he comes from a spot on the political spectrum not sometimes related to environmental safety, former European commissioner and incoming French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is thought for his progressive environmental stance.
“I believe we count on [a prime minister] to inform the reality first concerning the monetary debt and the ecological debt,” mentioned the right-wing Les républicains (LR, EPP) politician final week throughout his first speech as a primary minister, summing up what he sees as his two key challenges within the politically fractured nation.
These phrases are a reminder that Barnier has an extended monitor file on environmental coverage.
In 1971, he was a member of the cupboard of France’s first surroundings minister, Robert Poujade (1971-1974), earlier than assuming the position between 1993 and 1995.
As surroundings minister, he pushed by means of the 1995 ‘Barnier Legislation’, which enshrined the ‘precautionary precept’ in French regulation.
This precept, agreed upon on the 1992 UN environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro, is a key tenant of environmental safety. It states {that a} lack of full scientific certainty is inadequate grounds to disregard the chance of great or irreversible environmental harm.
“He has an simple environmental streak,” admits Corinne Lepage, former surroundings minister between 1995 and 1997 from the inexperienced ‘Génération écologique’ occasion (The Greens/EFA), to the French media Vert.
The Inexperienced Deal check
Barnier additionally has an simple European streak. The previous EU Commissioner (1999-2004, 2010-2014) lately said that “the fitting degree for [ecological] planning is the European degree.”
It will carry its personal challenges, as former surroundings minister Brice Lalonde (1991-1992) famous final week in L’Opinion. “In Brussels, he could have his work reduce out for him.”
Lalonde added that with regards to vitality, Barnier must “measure himself towards Germany […] and negotiate with [likely next European climate commissioner] Teresa Ribera, whose positions towards the atom are well-known.”
Whereas favouring the redevelopment of nuclear vitality, Barnier advocated for renewable vitality business as early as 1994 – lengthy earlier than wind and photo voltaic entered the political mainstream.
Proper-wing DNA
Nevertheless, Barnier’s help shouldn’t be unconditional – in August 2021, he argued towards creating an offshore wind farm at Saint Brieuc in Brittany.
Furthermore, Barnier is towards the EU ban on promoting new petrol and diesel automobiles from 2035, preferring “contract to constraint”, as he wrote in an op-ed in September 2023.
Regardless of this, “his positions in favour of the Inexperienced deal are surprisingly progressive on the dimensions of his political group”, Director of the Brussels and Paris-based assume tank Strategic Views Neil Makaroff advised French media Reporterre.
Jules Nyssen, president of the French Renewables Affiliation (SER), posted on LinkedIn that Barnier ought to “proceed with the Inexperienced Deal (…) and make sure that [France] implements an vitality and local weather technique consistent with RED 3,” referring to the EU’s authorized framework for renewable growth.
Right here, Barner could have work to do – in response to the newest figures despatched to the European Fee, France shouldn’t be on monitor to fulfill its renewable targets.
[Edited by Donagh Cagney/Alice Taylor-Brace]
