When it comes to ecology, the grass is often greener elsewhere. For the British in any case, France constitutes a model to follow, according to a flattering post from Guardian. The left-wing newspaper, usually not very conciliatory with the “liberal” Emmanuel Macron, recognizes his impressive progress on the climate front. “Certainly, their bedbugs are proving a little too invasive and they have progress to make in terms of vegan food, but the French are making a lot of good choices regarding ecology,” judges its columnist Emma Beddington.
The British journalist cites as models the 2 billion euro plan to promote cycling, advertisements for cars which must mention the importance of public transport or even television which broadcasts “weather and climate” bulletins. “France is not a climate wonderland, as the recent banning of the Earth Uprising activist group showed, but it has a devouring appetite for radical change,” summarizes the columnist.
Paris on the road to “an ecological civilization”?
If the Guardian is so admiring of French progress, it is also because of the policy pursued by its own conservative government. In June, its columnist George Monbiot already detailed these small gestures, such as the ban on plastic tableware in restaurants or the creation of a sustainability index on products, “which transform France into an ecological civilization”. “On the conservation of energy, water and resources, Paris has already done what the British government vaguely promises for 2040 or 2050,” underlines the journalist.
On the German side, there South German Zeitung highlights the prudence of our ecological policy, “which wants to give the French the impression of not being harassed by bans”. The Munich newspaper believes that “the French have closely followed the debates in Germany, where we are witnessing discontent due to the sacrifices to be made to protect the environment”, which is reflected in a rise of the extreme right. A “at the same time ecological” to find, ultimately very French.