An elected environmentalist in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has filed a summary judgment in court to order its president LR Laurent Wauquiez to respect the legal measures provided for in the framework of “zero net artificialization” (ZAN) of soils, he said. he announced Thursday.
“As an environmentalist, I consider it essential that the ZAN be put in place, to stop concrete construction in the countryside and preserve natural spaces and arable land,” explained regional councilor Pierre-Henri Janot.
His request, filed Wednesday at the administrative court of Lyon, asks the judge “to take precautionary measures to ensure that the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region ensures and assumes his role in compliance with the requirements of the law [ZAN] of July 20, 2023.
Laurent Wauquiez launched a revolt against this “ruralicide” law
This law aims to halve, by 2031, the consumption of natural and agricultural spaces compared to the previous decade, until reaching “zero net artificialization” by 2050 and entrusts the regions with the responsibility to set their objectives through their planning document, the Sraddet. Laurent Wauquiez launched a revolt against this law which he describes as “ruralicide”.
The request filed by Pierre-Henri Janot aims to force the President of the Region to set up a regional conference to govern the policy of reducing land artificialization, provided for by the texts. Because “the implementation of the ZAN is hampered by the fact that the conference […] was not put in place even though it is at the center of the system” and this “by the simple fact that its president abstained from initiating the necessary process”.
The hearing date has not yet been set
Contacted, a spokesperson for the region did not wish to react immediately, indicating “not having been aware of the summary”. The request has been filed and registered but the hearing date has not yet been set, the administrative court indicated.
On September 30, Laurent Wauquiez announced that his “region was withdrawing from the ZAN process”, attracting the wrath of environmentalists and the government. The prefect of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Fabienne Buccio sent a letter in November to the mayors of the region in which she responded point by point to his criticisms, noting that Mr. Wauquiez seemed to “ignore (the) progress and the latest state of the law “.
On December 21, the regional president asked the government to “put back [la loi] on the workbench”, but without going so far as to repeat that his region would leave the system. “It appears from his latest statements that there is no decision to withdraw or suspend the ZAN from either the deliberative assembly or its president,” according to the request filed by Pierre-Henri Janot.