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The presidential campaign missed a theme that worries more and more in the world: ecology. The two candidates for the election, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, have not really made it their hobbyhorse, and they have been criticized for this. An application, Greenly calculated the carbon footprint of their programs. Who will win the ecological battle?
The debate between the two rounds confirmed it on Wednesday: the place dedicated to ecology in the program of the two candidates for the presidential election is weak, even non-existent. To know the carbon footprint of the programs of the two candidates, the application Greenlywhich allows you to track your carbon footprint and reduce it, carried out a detailed calculation.
Pro-nuclear programs
Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen nevertheless have one thing in common in ecological matters: pro-nuclear measures.
In this area, the RN candidate would even have a slight lead over the outgoing president since the latter plans to build ten new reactors, which could lead to a potential saving of 54 Mt CO2 eq per year (12% of the national footprint once the plants are active).
In comparison, Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to build six new reactors would allow a reduction of 32 Mt CO2 eq per year, or 7% of France’s total footprint, the study estimates. Greenlycarried out according to the impact of the candidates’ proposals by sector, based on the recommendations of the IPCC.
Marine Le Pen, however, loses four “points” with its desire to stop current wind turbine construction projects and dismantle existing parks, which would add 4 Mt of CO2 emissions to its program. Conversely, Emmanuel Macron proposes to expand the offshore and onshore wind farm, which would help reduce CO2 emissions by 2Mt.
Industry, housing, transport
The other criteria scrutinized in this study relate to industry, housing and transport. And in these three respective areas, the RN candidate shines rather by its absence of proposals. “When Emmanuel Macron proposes measures to decarbonize the industry, in particular an investment of more than 5 billion euros which would save 5 Mt CO2 eq, Marine Le Pen does not comment on the subject”notes the study.
If the two candidates position themselves on the development of hydrogen transport, Marine Le Pen proposes raising the speed limit to 90 km/h, which would generate emissions estimated at 0.4 Mt CO2 eq, or 0.1% of France’s annual carbon footprint.
“In terms of housing, the two programs lack precision to properly quantify the impact, even if Emmanuel Macron puts forward more objectives on the renovation of housing and Marine Le Pen simply mentions a loan to aid renovation”says the survey.
In view of these data, outgoing President Emmanuel Macron is therefore catching up with his “delay” with an overall reduction of around 53 Mt CO2 eq, compared to just under 50 Mt CO2 eq for Marine Le Pen. But overall, the measures proposed by the two finalists remain insufficient.
“The presidential campaign is yet another missed opportunity to raise awareness among the French about climate issues which are however darkening their future”laments Alexis Normand, CEO of Greenly.