Britain, France, and the European Union - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 110

Citizen groups often have a quasi-governmental role. For example, the
1976 Nature Act provided for land reserves, now more than 100, many
managed by private hunting associations. Environmentalists find them-
selves in conflict with hunters, who got official recognition under a 1964
law coordinating hunting associations. They are organized as the ACCA
(registered municipal hunting associations) with authority to set the rules
and issue hunting licenses. Many lack safety training in firearms. Dozens
are killed every year. Hunting is allowed nearly everywhere on private
property, whether or not the owner objects. Game wardens in effect work
for the hunting association. The season extends from July to February. The
National Hunting Office in the environmental ministry is largely staffed
with hunters, and follows the will of the ACCA. To please the hunters,
the hunting office has experimented with captive breeding of animals to
be released into the wild. They were overly successful with hybrid boars
which, once set free, proved ferocious and damaged forests and farms. 8
Besides hunters, legislation provided for official status for many citizen
associations that sign an agreement, thereby giving them access and legiti-
mating them. By 1991 the number of enrolled groups was 1,434. They are
represented on various councils at the national, regional and local levels.
Twenty environmentalists sit on the High Committee on the Environment.
Enrolled associations may receive government subsidies. The largest
amount of the money (about a fifth) goes to France Nature Environnement.
As in other Western democracies, business groups are active politically.
The largest is the Movement of French Enterprises (MEDEF), established
in 1998 from the former Council of Employers. MEDEF's interests cover a
broad range of topics such as taxation and employment. The environment
is only one of its many issues. Regarding global warming, its official posi-
tion is to say that the greenhouse effect is a serious problem, but in fact,
it is unenthusiastic about controls. The big steel company, Arcelor, makes
the public relations claim that it seeks Sustainable Development by pro-
tecting the environment, achieving profitable growth, and being “a model
of corporate social responsibility.” In spite of its governmental ownership,
Electricitié de France lobbies the government, acting as an interest group.
Since the 1970s, many French citizens have strongly opposed nuclear
power, whether in the form of weapons or electric generating plants.
In 1974 the conservative government announced its plans to generate
70% of electricity from the atom. People demonstrated against new plants
in the Gironde, Flamanville and Alsace. Two years later the proposal to
build the first fast breeder reactor, the Super Phenix, at Malville sparked