French Minister: Inquiry Commission Would Clarify Climate Action Responsibilities

Mathieu Lefèvre, the French Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition, asserted that a potential inquiry commission would serve to clarify responsibilities regarding climate action, dismissing accusations of government inaction. Speaking to Le Figaro, Lefèvre acknowledged that while the country managed the situation, not everything functioned perfectly.

"We have nothing to fear from a commission of inquiry that will allow us to objectify everyone's responsibilities and demonstrate that the trial for climate inaction is not only false but also unjust," Lefèvre stated. He defended successive French governments' efforts over the past two decades, citing the precautionary principle, the Grenelle environmental conferences, and adaptation planning as evidence of progress. While open to discussing the pace of these actions, he argued that denying these efforts undermines the necessary republican consensus on climate change.

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We have nothing to fear from a commission of inquiry that will allow us to objectify everyone's responsibilities and demonstrate that the trial for climate inaction is not only false but also unjust.

Lefèvre sharply criticized environmentalists, contrasting their approach with the government's focus on the general interest. "Unlike the Ecologists, we will always prefer the general interest, when they prioritize their electoral alliances with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France insoumise," he said. He suggested that the French public needs concrete solutions rather than what he termed "low political polemics."

The minister's remarks come amid criticism from environmental groups, who have alluded to a potential death toll of 10,000 and are demanding an inquiry commission, threatening a motion of censure. Lefèvre's defense positions the government as proactive on climate issues, while framing opposition as politically motivated and detrimental to unified climate action.

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Unlike the Ecologists, we will always prefer the general interest, when they prioritize their electoral alliances with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France insoumise.