Cocorico in the Alps. The city of Grenoble celebrates this Saturday its title of “European green capital” 2022 awarded by the European Commission, during an official ceremony, on the sidelines of which several associations are organizing a march for a “social and popular ecology”.
“Grenoble has earned the title of Ecological Capital thanks to its unwavering commitment to becoming a healthier city for and with its citizens,” said Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, who will take part in the ceremony from 5 p.m. at the city museum, alongside Barbara Pompili, Minister for Ecological Transition, and Eric Piolle, Mayor of Grenoble.
Grenoble thus succeeds the Finnish city of Lahti as winner of this title which rewards “exemplary” measures in terms of the environment and sustainable development. The capital of Isère is the 13th city in Europe to receive this title and the 2nd in France after Nantes in 2013. During his wishes to the press on Thursday, Eric Piolle castigated the “evasion” of President Emmanuel Macron absent from the ceremony: he “turns his back on Grenoble and therefore on the millions of French people who want to act for the climate”, he declared.
“The climate in the Alps is disturbed twice as much as elsewhere”
This distinction also coincides with the French presidency of the European Council, whose priorities include the implementation of the European Green Deal and action in favor of zero pollution, climate neutrality, enhanced protection of biodiversity and the realization of a circular economy, specifies in a press release the French representation of the Commission.
“The climate in the Alps is disturbed twice as much as elsewhere. We have already passed the two degrees (temperature rise) and we need to be bold,” said Eric Piolle in October, who received the Minister for Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, on the occasion of the presentation of the project.
More than 200 events based on citizen participation, culture and science will be organized throughout the year to honor this title, which will receive funding of four million euros from the State. Alongside the opening ceremony, the Confédération paysanne de l’Isère, as well as other local organizations (Together For Earth Grenoble, Solidaires Isère, Alternatiba Grenoble, Attac Isère, etc.) call for a “march for a social ecology and popular” from 2 p.m.
“In the Grenoble basin as well as elsewhere, we continue to enlarge shopping centers and build new ones, to artificialize ever more living and agricultural spaces, not to support a real policy of agricultural installation and access to quality food for all, to demolish social housing instead of renovating them and to develop road traffic, as with the A480 construction site in the financing of which Emmanuel Macron played a key role”, denounces the Confederation in a press release.