Emmanuel Macron’s promise, on Friday in Marseille, to commit to “a strong initiative (…) for the accelerated phase-out of pesticides”, when France will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2022, made react Nicolas Hulot. The former Minister of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition announced Tuesday to “take note” of this announcement. He also sees it as “the first effective thing” for France to do to preserve biodiversity.
“The president announced [vouloir] accelerate the release of pesticides. He was not at a stage where he could give details on the timetable on the means etc. But at this stage we take note, ”declared Nicolas Hulot on the sidelines of the inauguration of the World Organic Congress in Rennes, of which he is the sponsor.
The fight for “mirror clauses”
This announcement by President Macron “it is very important because what scientists tell us is that in our latitudes, pesticides are one of the main causes of the erosion of biodiversity”, recalled the president. of the Nicolas Hulot Foundation. “If France wants to do something, the first thing that it can do effectively is to speed up the timetable”.
According to Nicolas Hulot, this acceleration must be “accompanied by a second condition, on which [le président] is committed and we take note: it is to fight during the French presidency of the EU for the implementation of mirror clauses ”at the borders of the Union against unfair competition.
Invited to the Congress, the Minister of Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili notably pleaded for “one or a minister of ecological transition in all countries”. And, according to her, “this ministry should include Agriculture, I am convinced”. Nicolas Hulot also sent the Minister an “encouragement” at the end of the opening ceremony. “I have been saying for a long time that if we want to deal reasonably and effectively with the ecological transition, we need democratic adaptations. We cannot permanently have two ministries that are in conflict, ”he explained.
The World Organic Congress, of which this is the 20th edition, is being held until Friday. Some 2,000 people, from around fifty countries, have registered to participate in this congress face-to-face and remotely.