“The appointment of Christophe Béchu is not a good signal at all for ecology. » Elsa Richard, municipal councilor Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV), widened her eyes when she learned of the express promotion of the mayor of Angers, Monday July 4. “Given the scale of the necessary transformation, it would have taken someone with a culture of ecology. He describes himself as a techno-solutionist, this vision of science that will save us. This is our big difference. »
The elected ecologist evokes without naming it the project of “smart territory” wanted in his city by the new Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, in 2019. One hundred and seventy-eight million euros invested over twelve years to become a territory “zero carbon” thanks to the “Internet of Things”, these connected devices that will manage the switching on of urban lighting, the collection of household waste or even the watering of flower beds.
On the benches of the opposition, the socialist Silvia Camara-Tombini is not more tender: “There is certainly an awakening to his second term as mayor, but his awareness is imposed and late. Its first measure in 2014 was to grant the first hour of free parking in the city center. » When it comes to extending the tramway network, Mr. Béchu is also frustrated by local environmentalists – many trees had to be sacrificed as part of the work. The new minister understood the symbol well. He counters that he has had 122,000 trees planted since 2019 and promised another 100,000 more by 2025.
“He has evolved a lot”
The socialist and ecological left, which led the city from 1977 to 2014, also recalls that the flattering rankings of magazines are not new. “He gets the laurels every time, but it’s geographical. Angers is surrounded by hectares of green spaces which are subject to flooding. » Thousands of square meters which boost the average per inhabitant, even if it is obviously not the only criterion taken into account in these rankings.
“Frankly, among right-wing politicians, he is one of those who have worked on the issue well. It has evolved a lotdefends Corinne Bouchoux, the former environmental senator who became, in 2020, vice-president of Angers Loire Métropole in charge of ecological transition. We really put it at the heart of our policies. He has taken the measure of the stakes, he works a lot and he does not spend his time on television sets praising Angers. It’s not communication, buzz, but efficiency. »
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