Feeling the heat: how is climate changing France?
EU solidarity with France: fighting forest fires together (Photo: European Union, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)
So, Macron has won a second term of office. Félicitations to him! However, the issues from his last term remain exactly the same, with one problem in particular steadily getting worse. I don’t want to be the one to bring up the dreaded topic again, yet seemingly, there’s no avoiding it. Climate change. This time around, there’s no doubt that all eyes are on Macron to tackle this elephant in the room.
Following the 2021 lawsuit where the French government was found guilty of not doing enough to reach the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, it’s obvious that neither the French environmental organisations nor the wider population are satisfied with the government’s efforts so far to deal with the crisis. But why have France’s efforts been insufficient? Why was this lawsuit necessary and so significant? More importantly, what will it take to combat global warming and in turn, reassure the French public? These questions and more are now up to Macron and his government to answer.
On paper, it would seem that France has been fairly hands-on. Christophe Béchu, the new environment minister, has been responsible for a number of new and unusual efforts. A €40 million fund supporting farmers and the agriculture industry. Attempting to ban domestic flights where the train ride would take less than two and a half hours. Asking state schools to introduce a meat and fish free canteen menu for a minimum of one day a week. Signing decrees that commit to monitoring water levels more effectively.
This is all well and good; however, I find myself spotting a subtle trend in these policies. It seems that, similar to many other countries, France’s approach towards the climate crisis so far has been to introduce a few simple (and perhaps not quite sufficient) short-term solutions, whilst setting with enthusiasm much more ambitious long-term goals and commitments.
One of these long-term commitments, as set out in the Paris Agreement of 2016, was to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Right now, France is not on track to meet this target. Some would say that banning gas heaters on outdoor terraces and introducing new menus are neither the best nor most efficient ways to deal with the crisis itself, nor satisfy the public demand for action.
On that note, while climate change is nominally on the government’s agenda, it is pretty obvious that the French public are not happy at all with current efforts. In fact, last year, four environmental NGOs filed a lawsuit against the government for failing to uphold their commitment of climate neutrality, collecting over 2.3 million signatures in a nationwide petition. The court found the government guilty and awarded symbolic damages of €1 to each association behind the lawsuit.
No doubt, this is an example of French unity at its best. With some calling the lawsuit ‘l’affaire du siècle’, it’s extremely encouraging to see how much the French attitude and general awareness towards climate change have changed. People have become much more conscious of the threat it poses, particularly after this devastating past summer, with 83% of French people agreeing that climate change and its many consequences are the biggest challenges for humanity in the 21st century.
No doubt, said consequences have spread far and wide. A 25% drop in normal rainfall patterns this April had devastating effects for just about everybody, ranging from low crop production, to flash droughts, to labour shortages in vineyards. At least 60,000 hectares of French forest have been destroyed since the start of the year due to a huge increase in wildfires, forcing the government to call in backup from the EU’s civil protection mechanism. Melting glaciers have hugely increased the risk of natural disasters like avalanches and mudslides, as well as forcing habitat changes in certain Alpine dwelling species. These problems, and many more, have taken climate change and dropped it squarely on everybody’s doorstep, whether they like it or not.
But why should the public have to defend themselves, and demand legal action for anything to happen? It should not be up to citizens to force action on a topic that should be number one on the government’s list of priorities.
One of the fundamental problems is a lack of transparency. When new laws and policies surrounding the environment aren’t publicised, or even announced on a national scale, why is it surprising that the public asks for more? Generally, in order for there to be more clarity and communication between government and citizens, Macron should consider publicising current plans of action more widely, through awareness campaigns, or even social media.
To cut a long story short, there is not enough immediate action. We must see more urgency from the French government. If not, aspects so vital to France’s identity (the natural landscapes, the wine and agriculture industries, among many others) as well as public life will very soon be in mortal peril.
But let’s not let ourselves get too gloomy. The youth are the voice of the future. That much has always been clear, and in France, the youth are all too aware of the climate crisis. When the French unite in numbers, things happen, and it is vital that this group spirit continues when demanding further change from Macron and his government in the future.