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http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3015293.ece
French face tough choices to help save the planet
By John Lichfield in Paris
Published: 01 October 2007
In a huge consultation exercise starting this week, the people of
France will be asked whether they want to save the planet. The answer
is likely to be "oui".
They will, however, also be asked harder questions:
Are French drivers willing to accept lower speed limits on motorways
and ordinary roads to reduce carbon emissions?
Are French consumers prepared to pay more for their food, to allow
"bio", or organic, farming to take over one fifth of all fields in the
next 13 years?
Are French farmers ready to give up their addiction to pesticides?
Are homeowners prepared to pay up to ¿20,000 (£14,000) - ¿600bn in
total - to insulate their houses? The consultation exercise -
including an internet questionnaire and 17 public meetings - is part
of a green revolution promised by President Nicolas Sarkozy during his
election campaign in the spring. At the end of this month, all
interested parties - employers, unions, farmers, consumers, green
pressure groups, hunters and conservationists, even bull-fight fans
and anti-bull-fight campaigners - will be invited to a conference in
Paris.
The results of this conference will influence, but not directly
decide, President Sarkozy's environmental policies for the next five
years. Working groups have already put forward a series of radical
proposals (and discarded even more radical ones).
Over the next three weeks, the public will be asked whether the speed
limits on French roads should be reduced from 130kph (80mph) to 120kph
on motorways and 90kph to 80kph on rural roads.
Environmental and road safety campaigners say that this would save 1.8
million tonnes of carbon emissions each year. The car and truck
lobbies say that France "cannot save the planet" by knocking 10kph off
speed limits. According to opinion polls, the public is split 50/50.
Another contentious issue is likely to be the future of GM crops,
pesticides and organic farming.
The more radical green campaigners have already dismissed the
conference as a political stunt. Others say that President Sarkozy has
at least been willing to put the issues of climate change and
sustainable development at the centre of national debate.
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