Three women to orchestrate the response to the gigantic climate and environmental challenge. As he had announced, Emmanuel Macron appointed two ministers, Friday, May 20, to take over from Barbara Pompili, holder of the ecology portfolio: Amélie de Montchalin will pilot “ecological transition and territorial cohesion” within the new government, and Agnès Pannier-Runacher will lead “the energy transition”. They will work under the direct supervision of Elisabeth Borne, the Prime Minister, responsible for ecological and energy planning. It is now up to them to ensure that France achieves its climate objectives and becomes “the first great nation” to get out of fossil fuels.
Supposed to embody the ecological commitment of the Head of State, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, 47, and Amélie de Montchalin, 36, both from the economics and finance sector, have no significant experience. in terms of the environment. They will be supported by Christophe Béchu, minister delegate in charge of communities, and by Justine Benin, secretary of state for the sea. A secretary general for ecological planning, Antoine Pellion, completes the system.
“Get everyone around the table”
Transport, housing, biodiversity, regional planning, town planning… On all these issues, Amélie de Montchalin promised, during the transfer of power to the Hôtel de Roquelaure, “to act now” to achieve results “concrete and fast”. A graduate of HEC and the Harvard Kennedy School, she has never before been responsible for these issues. Passed by the cabinet of Valérie Pécresse (Les Républicains) at the Ministry of Higher Education, she worked in banking and insurance before being elected deputy of the 6e constituency of Essonne under the label La République en Marche, in 2017. Entering the government as Secretary of State for European Affairs, she had been Minister of the Public Service since 2020. “Amélie de Montchalin has never shown the slightest interest in ecology”, criticized the national secretary of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV), Julien Bayou.
Beyond experience, “We especially need someone who is able to dialogue with the various stakeholders, to rely on existing expertise and to bring everyone around the table”believes for his part Arnaud Schwartz, the president of France nature environment (FNE).
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