A trio to tackle climate and environmental crises. With Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister in charge of Ecological and Energy Planning, Amélie de Montchalin, Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, and Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition, Emmanuel Macron’s second five-year term will be does it live up to the “fight of the century” ?
Everything will depend on their ability to realign all public action around the environment, replies Léo Cohen, former adviser to the Ministry of Ecology (to Secretary of State Barbara Pompili from 2016 to 2017 then to Minister François de Rugy from 2018 to 2019) and author of the book 800 days at the ministry of the impossible. Ecology put to the test of power (Les Petits Matins, 144 pages, 15 euros). This former member of the governance committee of the citizens’ convention for the climate, now an independent consultant on ecological transition and citizen participation, has identified twelve major obstacles that prevent “lead an ecological policy commensurate with the emergency”.
What do you think of this new government with regard to the environment?
The appointment of Elisabeth Borne at Matignon is one of the best possible scenarios for ecology. She has a sensitivity on this subject, it masters these files and can anticipate blockages. With her new position, she will be able to make decisions in favor of the environment. The challenge is to manage to make ecology trickle down to all sectoral policies.
As for Amélie de Montchalin and Agnès Pannier-Runacher, although they are known to be efficient and technical, they are not on the other hand absolutely not known for their ecological commitment. However, at the Ministry of Ecology, you are so confronted with an addition of blockages, obstacles and obstacles, that if you do not have convictions pegged to the body, the passageway is almost impossible. Not to mention that the ecological and energy issues are incredibly technical and complex. The time taken to apprehend them is precious time wasted in our ability to act.
How do you interpret the split of the former major ministry of ecology?
With these two ministries, the question arises of who takes the lead between Bercy and Roquelaure [du nom du lieu où est situé le ministère de l’écologie]. We have a first element of response with the profiles of Amélie de Montchalin and Agnès Pannier-Runacher: two women from the Bercy galaxy, it is a political signal that is not neutral. The other part of the answer will depend on the decrees of attribution and the administrations placed at their disposal, which have different cultures and political objectives. This is crucial, as the Ministry of Energy Transition will cover various issues which may be contradictory. build new [réacteurs nucléaires] EPR does not necessarily go hand in hand with the massive development of renewable energies, just as developing our production capacities does not converge with the reduction of consumption and production. The takeover by Bercy could emphasize the strengthening of sectors to the detriment of sobriety.
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