Here we go. The only debate of the French Presidential elections have come and gone. Sunday, Mr. Sarkozy and Hollande will be either reelected or elected as the President of the sixth world economy.
During nearly three hours, none of them have mentioned environmental issues. Peak oil occurred during the last Presidential mandate, but both candidates are acting as if there would be cheap oil for ever and ever.
The next five years are absolutely critical in mitigating climate change AND averting the worsening economic recession because of higher oil prices. Do they care ? It doesn’t seem so.
The centerpiece of President Sarkozy’s environmental policy – known as The Grenelle de l’Environnement – was a great idea but it hasn’t achieved a fifth or a tenth of what needs to be done.
It had started quite well but has slowed down and slowed down and long died without a whimper and without anybody noticing. Worse, the environmental and energy issues are absent of his program this year. (and this despite a roundtable on the very subject last year…)
François Hollande’s programm on these issues is either laughable or downright scary. Thinking nuclear is a bad thing for France means that emissions would rise instead of decreasing fast and big.
Sure, there are the mandatory some efficiency measures but nothing that really would tackle the issues in the way they should be…
The Economist noted that France was in denial when it comes to its elections, it seems it was quite right…
Green jobs in both efficiency and cleantech have the potential to spur sustainable economic growth. But in France as in most G20 countries, these opportunities fall into deaf ears…