While Emmanuel Macron announced, this Wednesday, August 24, “the end of abundance and carelessness”, Elisabeth Borne took charge, in an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien, of presenting the strong measures in terms of of ecology that the government will take at the start of the school year. In addition to the energy sobriety plan presented at the end of June, the Prime Minister announces, this Saturday August 27, the forthcoming implementation of a “longer-term action plan on ecological planning”, which will concern all sectors of society: construction, transport, industry, agriculture and even water management.
To help communities accelerate their ecological transition, a green fund of 1.5 billion euros will be set up in the fall. The idea is for them to adapt their urban space as quickly as possible to climate change, for example by rehabilitating wasteland, renovating energy-intensive public buildings or giving more space to nature in the city. With regard to companies and individuals, Elisabeth Borne evokes “common sense constraints”, and sanctions for businesses that do not respect the two decrees soon to be adopted: the first prohibits illuminated advertisements at night and the other obliges air-conditioned stores to close their exterior doors.
As for the financing of this ecological transition, it should not go through the taxation of superprofits, the Prime Minister preferring that “companies return purchasing power to the French”, in particular by lowering prices for consumers and increasing incomes of their employees. It asks companies to use the “Prime Macron”, which allows them to pay financial aid without paying social charges. In the event of ill will, Elisabeth Borne does not then exclude putting on the table the subject of a taxation of superprofits, feared by the Medef, in front of which the head of government will speak on Monday. The idea, in any case, is gaining ground on the left. This Sunday, August 28, Jean-Luc Mélenchon declared himself in favor of the proposal of the first secretary of the PS Olivier Faure of a referendum of shared initiative (RIP) on the taxation of these superprofits, at the end of the “Amphis d’été ” from La France insoumise in the Drôme.
As for the regulation of private jets, mentioned by Clément Beaune, it has, according to the Prime Minister, “a symbolic nature”, and in no way crucial in the global fight against global warming. The adoption of this broad action plan is as necessary as it is costly. However, Elisabeth Borne reiterates France’s objective of reducing its deficit to 3% of GDP by the end of the five-year term, indicating that the 2023 budget was established by reconciling ecological and economic priorities.
