what Michel Barnier is talking about when he says he wants to reduce it

POLICY – “Do not sacrifice the future for the present. » In his general policy speech, delivered before the National Assembly on Tuesday October 1, Michel Barnier resumed his role as Minister of the Environment, a role he occupied between 1993 and 1995 under François Mitterand. This is to remind us that France has a debt at the same time “budgetary and ecological”, as he said again this Sunday October 6 in La Tribune Sunday.

“We must face reality on our public accounts and on our lifestyles”, declared the Prime Minister to the Assembly, recalling that the weight of this double debt “will weigh much more seriously on our children and grandchildren”.

The first debte, “budgetary” therefore, was clearly defined by the head of government: the public accounts are in the red with a deficit which should reach 6% this year. The definition of debt “ecological”it is much more vague. Le HuffPost takes stock.

And « negative legacy » to our children

This concept emerged in the 1990s as a debt of the countries of the North to those of the South, in the process of development. Indeed, it is the developed countries, like France, which have contributed to the“climate debt” during their industrialization, from the 1930s. And in the 21st century, it is the most vulnerable countries which pay the most because of rising water levels, droughts, climatic disasters, etc.

But this is not the definition that Michel Barnier uses here. As explained The Worldthe definition of “ ecological debt » evolved, thanks to the appearance of the notion of “sustainable development” in the 1990s, to take on the meaning of a “negative legacy to future generations. » Concretely, by emitting greenhouse gas emissions through our activities (transport, industry, agriculture, etc.), we are making the Earth unlivable for future generations, who will face heatwaves and other extreme floods.

To fill this environmental debt, Michel Barnier has developed some “remedies”. First, it makes reducing greenhouse gas emissions a priority. In his speech this Tuesday, he congratulated “ the 3.6% reduction in emissions in the first half of 2024”. To continue this effort, like Emmanuel Macron, he advocates “the ecology of solutions” et “technological progress” to pollute less and mitigate the rapid warming of the Earth.

Or a project focused solely on “ reduction of carbon debt » who forgets that the preservation of the Blue Planet also involves the protection of biodiversity and our ecosystems.

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