In a live radio interview, the French environment minister surprised everyone by resigning his post.
Nicolas Hulot reached his breaking point in the inability of his country and the rest of the world to take care of the environment. When the Trump administration pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement last year, Hulot criticized the United States. Now he is broadening that criticism to his own country and the rest of the world. A member of the Green Party and a very popular minister, Hulot’s resignation will be a loss for the image of France leading the world in climate change action. It may also be a wake up call, a chance to take an honest look at what the Paris Climate Accord and other current environmental actions are actually capable of accomplishing.
On French radio program France Inter, Hulot said, “I do not want to lie to myself anymore. I don’t want to give the illusion that my presence in government means we’re answering these issues properly — and so I have decided to leave the government.”
This is a bold move for a politician, many of whom push for only minimal changes. Although Hulot conceded that France was doing more than other countries, he said, “It is not doing enough. Europe is not doing enough. The world is not doing enough.” Progressive rhetoric regarding the environment seems to make it an important issue but little action is actually happening.
“It is not doing enough. Europe is not doing enough. The world is not doing enough.”
Hulot cited his disappointment in the lack of concrete environmental action taken. “Have we started to reduce the use of pesticides? The answer is no. Have we started to stop the erosion of biodiversity? No. Have we started to stop the artificialization of the land? The answer is no.”
Although the world has known that our climate has been changing for decades and that it is widely accepted (over 95% of scientists agree) that the current unprecedented rate of change has been caused by humans, public policy is slow to change and meet the needs, even save the lives, of earth’s citizens. Perhaps if more people in power were as honest as Hulot, the action we need would take more precedent.
This bold stand will have an impact and hopefullly lead to change.
The politics made by president Macron and his government is totally driven by the lobbies of chemical products, energy and so on. It is entirely anti-ecologist. All their speeches in support of ecology are denied by their acts.
If he cared so much about the environment, why is he not protesting the trashing of France by the filthy ‘refugees’ they are letting run wild in their country? Crapping on the streets. Raping women and children. Acid attacks. Abusing animals. Give me a break. He cares about nothing.
Where is your compassion for others? He cares about the future of the world and all you care about is being racist
Take your white hood off and get a lesson in reality. Your all-weather bigotry is obscene and a cancer on society.
Nicolas Hulot is 100% correct. I respect him for his observations & decision to step down. The world is NOT doing enough.
Science bears witness to the fact that there is climate change.
The average human being couldn’t care less & spends his/her life in selfish disregard for other human beings or the planet. People pay lip service to wanting to make a difference, yet only a fraction of us really make an effort to recycle and make lifestyle changes.
Our current US administration shamefully cow tows to corporations who value profits over any environmental standards.
It is painstakingly frustrating to find your yourself the underdog, going to work daily to a job and calling that you believe in, battling corporations and governments and ever decreasing funding, knowing that the evils that you battle are pushing you relentlessly 2 steps backward for every step forward that you progress.
Kudos to you, Nicolas Hulot, may you find employment with 100% job satisfaction in the private sector.
God Save the planet. For those of us still in the fight, see earth911.com and especially drawdown.org for a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming.
Hulot is 100% correct.
In the US, there should be added to our Constitution that politicians cannot accept money from anyone, that they can not vote themselves raises, that they cannot have ties to corporations to avoid conflict of interest (such as those appointed by Pres. Trump to run agencies such as the EPA, etc., by oil magnates).
Without these in place, politics will be imbedded in corruption.
And anyone running for office must have documentation that they’re born here, and upon entry into any political race, show five years worth of tax returns.
Well done! I’m sorry that TRUMP and his cronies have rescinded America’s laws that were put in place to help the environment, And I’m very angry!
He is right ! We need to take care of the world better. Both animals and people depend on it. God gave us a wonderful planet so let’s take care of it.
WOULD BE GOOD FOR CANADIAN AND AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS TO HAVE AN INDIGENOUS CHIEF TO
MANAGE BOTH COUNTRIES ENVIRONMENT AND AN ANIMAL RIGHTS LAWYER TO HANDLE FAIR JUSTICE FOR
BOTH ANIMALS AND HUMANS; AND A PHILOSOPHER WITH A MASTER IN EPISTEMOLOGY TO OVERSEE THE
KNOWING AND BELIEFS, THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS GOOD WILL FALL INTO PLACE.
People should learn the truth about the Paris climate accords and the carbon credits and who ultimately benefits. It’s not as simple as it sounds. Before criticizing the US, Hulot should focus on his own country.
Czerny, he is focusing on France. He only briefly criticized the U.S. when Drumpf pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords. Now, he is focusing mostly on France and the rest of Europe. Read the article, thoroughly.
Knowing the French, they’ll just do that Gallic shrug and carry on with their own business.
Well done to him for sticking up for what he believes.
My respect for his honourable decission to stand for his principles – but who will be the voice of real facts about our environment and planet now ! This world needs so many many more honest people in major positions of power – this is a sign but a sad one !
What will be left for future generations? 🌍🌎🌏
It is becoming increasingly obvious that nothing meaningful is being accomplished to address climate change and the world’s lack of action and planning for our environment, What will the next generation face as we go merrily along destroying our precious earth and the wildlife it contains? What kind of legacy will we leave behind? We have the knowledge, means and surely we can spend the money necessary to improve life on this earth for all. What a shame that our leaders are looking not ahead. Heaven help us.
I hope he continues his fight in the private sector. It may just be that he will accomplish more by holding those in power accountable for their policies. However, the problem also lies with the citizens who brush off this very serious problem by voting in the most egregious politicians.
Smart!