Demonstrators take part in a climate march on Oct. 13, 2018 in Paris. (Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet/flickr/cc)
Enough Inaction: Green Groups Sue to Make France Act Boldly on Climate Crisis
"We still have a choice, and the possibility of saving the world"
Four advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against France on Thursday for failing to take necessary action to tackle the climate crisis.
The French groups--Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH), Greenpeace France, Notre Affaire a Tous, and Oxfam France--filed their case, which they've dubbed "l'Affaire du siecle" or the case of the century, in the administrative court of Paris.
Boosting support for their action is an online petition, which has already gathered over 2 million signatures, as well as a YouTube campaign video with noted figures including Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche.
To boot, there's a "march of the century" demanding climate justice planned for Saturday, March 16. Over 130 actions have been planned, organizers say.
"We still have a choice, and the possibility of saving the world," said Jean-Baptiste Bosse at a press conference Thursday on the suit. "We're up against the greatest challenge in the history of mankind; as a scientist or as a citizen, I simply do not have the choice not to commit myself."
The "reality of the climate urgency" is clear, the groups said in an earlier press statement (pdf) announcing the legal action. As is the nation's failure to act, given that every administration since the 1960s "has repeatedly postponed the adoption of adequate policies that could have helped avoid the climate catastrophe."
They added:
Despite its long-term involvement in global climate talks, France is not taking further steps to successfully tackle climate change: in this perspective, it should be reminded that the French state committed to do everything in its power to limit the global temperature rise to below 2degC (and eventually, below 1.5deg C), by ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement and many other European programs focused on greenhouse gases reduction and renewable and sustainable energy. France has failed to respect both its international commitments and its own national climate policies.
"We want the French state's commitments and stated ambitions to be translated into concrete action," Noelie Coudurier, who director of Oxfam France's climate section, told FRANCE 24. "And in order to enforce this, we need the courts to recognize the state's responsibility in failing to meet its targets."
The outcome of the case won't be decided quickly, however. The groups say there's a two-year wait time before a judges hears the case and decides whether it should move forward.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Four advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against France on Thursday for failing to take necessary action to tackle the climate crisis.
The French groups--Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH), Greenpeace France, Notre Affaire a Tous, and Oxfam France--filed their case, which they've dubbed "l'Affaire du siecle" or the case of the century, in the administrative court of Paris.
Boosting support for their action is an online petition, which has already gathered over 2 million signatures, as well as a YouTube campaign video with noted figures including Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche.
To boot, there's a "march of the century" demanding climate justice planned for Saturday, March 16. Over 130 actions have been planned, organizers say.
"We still have a choice, and the possibility of saving the world," said Jean-Baptiste Bosse at a press conference Thursday on the suit. "We're up against the greatest challenge in the history of mankind; as a scientist or as a citizen, I simply do not have the choice not to commit myself."
The "reality of the climate urgency" is clear, the groups said in an earlier press statement (pdf) announcing the legal action. As is the nation's failure to act, given that every administration since the 1960s "has repeatedly postponed the adoption of adequate policies that could have helped avoid the climate catastrophe."
They added:
Despite its long-term involvement in global climate talks, France is not taking further steps to successfully tackle climate change: in this perspective, it should be reminded that the French state committed to do everything in its power to limit the global temperature rise to below 2degC (and eventually, below 1.5deg C), by ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement and many other European programs focused on greenhouse gases reduction and renewable and sustainable energy. France has failed to respect both its international commitments and its own national climate policies.
"We want the French state's commitments and stated ambitions to be translated into concrete action," Noelie Coudurier, who director of Oxfam France's climate section, told FRANCE 24. "And in order to enforce this, we need the courts to recognize the state's responsibility in failing to meet its targets."
The outcome of the case won't be decided quickly, however. The groups say there's a two-year wait time before a judges hears the case and decides whether it should move forward.
Four advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against France on Thursday for failing to take necessary action to tackle the climate crisis.
The French groups--Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH), Greenpeace France, Notre Affaire a Tous, and Oxfam France--filed their case, which they've dubbed "l'Affaire du siecle" or the case of the century, in the administrative court of Paris.
Boosting support for their action is an online petition, which has already gathered over 2 million signatures, as well as a YouTube campaign video with noted figures including Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche.
To boot, there's a "march of the century" demanding climate justice planned for Saturday, March 16. Over 130 actions have been planned, organizers say.
"We still have a choice, and the possibility of saving the world," said Jean-Baptiste Bosse at a press conference Thursday on the suit. "We're up against the greatest challenge in the history of mankind; as a scientist or as a citizen, I simply do not have the choice not to commit myself."
The "reality of the climate urgency" is clear, the groups said in an earlier press statement (pdf) announcing the legal action. As is the nation's failure to act, given that every administration since the 1960s "has repeatedly postponed the adoption of adequate policies that could have helped avoid the climate catastrophe."
They added:
Despite its long-term involvement in global climate talks, France is not taking further steps to successfully tackle climate change: in this perspective, it should be reminded that the French state committed to do everything in its power to limit the global temperature rise to below 2degC (and eventually, below 1.5deg C), by ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement and many other European programs focused on greenhouse gases reduction and renewable and sustainable energy. France has failed to respect both its international commitments and its own national climate policies.
"We want the French state's commitments and stated ambitions to be translated into concrete action," Noelie Coudurier, who director of Oxfam France's climate section, told FRANCE 24. "And in order to enforce this, we need the courts to recognize the state's responsibility in failing to meet its targets."
The outcome of the case won't be decided quickly, however. The groups say there's a two-year wait time before a judges hears the case and decides whether it should move forward.