The Citizen’s Convention for weather (CCC), wanted by Emmanuel Macron to propose measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ends Sunday by judging their implementation by the government, already much criticized.
Gathered by video since Friday, the 150 citizens drawn for this unprecedented participatory democracy exercise in France let their disappointment shine through in their first debates.
“They came to get us to do a job, but ultimately, our opinion, I think they do not take it into account too much,” launched Benoit (citizens are designated by their first names only), summing up a fairly shared feeling.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%
Emmanuel Macron had decided to create the CCC at the end of the yellow vests crisis, born of a carbon tax on fuels perceived as unfair. Its mission: to propose measures allowing “ reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% (compared to 1990) by 2030 in a spirit of social justice ”.
Started in October 2019, the CCC submitted in June, at the end of a calendar upset by the Covid, 149 proposals to the President of the Republic, who rejected three of them and undertook to transmit the others “without filter”.
Some have found a place in the recovery plan or the budget, others in decrees and a quarantine in the Climate and Resilience bill, which will be debated in the Assembly at the end of March. The government has 75 measures implemented and 71 in the process of being implemented.
But environmental activists point to the discarded measures and lowered ambitions for many others. And the High Council for the climate criticizes the recovery plan, that on the energy renovation of buildings and finally the climate law.
“Measurements”
“There is too much red and yellow” in the tables presented by the organization to citizens on the fate of their proposals, estimated a member, with reference to the colors designating measures not applied or modified. For another, Brigitte, “Our measures have become measures”. Many regretted the influence of “ lobbies », Especially economic ones, to have certain proposals rebutted or reduced.
The “ citizens “Are called to vote, on a scale of 0 to 10, on the inclusion of 47” Goals »And the six major themes on which they worked (consuming, producing and working, moving around, housing, eating and governance), then in the afternoon to answer – still by vote – to four more general questions, taking stock of the year.
“What is your assessment of the government’s consideration of the Convention’s proposals? “. How the government measures “Make it possible to approach the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 in a spirit of social justice?” » “To what extent has the CCC been useful in the fight against climate change in France? “. Can Citizens’ Conventions “Improve the democratic life of our country? “
Continue the fight
Several speakers regretted Saturday that there could not be a common response text, the development of which was deemed too complicated from a distance by the independent governance committee. “I am not very happy to answer a simple satisfaction survey”, thus launched one of them, William, by proposing at least a brief declaration, in the form of a common “oath”.
But a large majority nonetheless considered that the experiment, democratic and humane, had been a success, displaying their “ pride “Of the work accomplished and showing the desire to continue to fight against climate change, in society as well as with parliamentarians so that they” improve “the next Climate Law.
« I would like to say that we must keep hope and continue the fight ”, thus launched one of the youngest of the Convention, Jocelyn, “ 18 years in two weeks ”.
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