Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In the early 2000s environmental issues were of only secondary impor-
tance. Attention focused on proposals for economic reform with a bigger
role for the free market. Then in 2005 riots broke out in the slums of the
industrial suburbs surrounding Paris. One issue was allowing employ-
ers more freedom in terminating young employees, a free-market reform
aimed at reducing the high unemployment rate of 23%. This particu-
larly affected Arab and African youths who were the children of immi-
grants. Their rate was as high as 40%. The government decreed a state of
emergency lasting four months.
The conservative Nicolas Sarkozy won the presidency in 2007 after tak-
ing a strong stance against the rioters and in favor of the free market.
Although he had said little about protecting the environment during the
campaign, he soon convened a 3-month conference labeled a Grenelle,
meaning a broad-based debate and resolution of a major problem. The
sessions included environmental groups and industry as well as scien-
tists and officials. Together they planned to reduce greenhouse gases,
lower air pollution, and promote biodiversity. The government agreed to
halt new highway and airport construction and expand rail transporta-
tion. Agricultural pesticides were to be reduced by 50%, land devoted to
bio-farming was to be increased 20%, and genetically modified crops were
to have a moratorium. The press called the president Ecolo-Sarko.
Interest groups: While France has had interest groups for a century or
two, environmental ones got an infusion of energy by the nationwide stu-
dent demonstrations against the government in May 1968. At the time
it seemed possibly to be the beginning of a second French Revolution.
Although in the end the Events of May were less sweeping, they did pro-
duce many changes. One was that people were more likely to question
the wisdom of bureaucrats and scientists: the technocrats. Besides politi-
cal and social issues, the protests flowed into environmental issues. The
following year many citizens objected to plans for a ski resort in the
Vanoise National Park and were able to stop it. In 1971 farmers objected
to the army taking their land to enlarge its base on the Larzac plateau. The
same year 15,000 people demonstrated against the Bugey nuclear plant.
Nevertheless, citizen environmental groups were weak. The old nature
groups did not want to be active politically.
France Nature Environnement, originally the Federation of Associations
for the Protection of Nature and the Environment, organized in 1968, is
an umbrella group. It has more than 3000-member organizations, rep-
resenting 850,000 individuals. Groups may be for a particular aspect
Search WWH ::




Custom Search