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.
\u201c#LAffaireDuSiecle : la proc\u00e9dure judiciaire est lanc\u00e9e !\n+ d'info \ud83d\udc49https://t.co/yo4lNurvoU\u201d— Greenpeace France (@Greenpeace France) 1552568648
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.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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.
\u201c#LAffaireDuSiecle : la proc\u00e9dure judiciaire est lanc\u00e9e !\n+ d'info \ud83d\udc49https://t.co/yo4lNurvoU\u201d— Greenpeace France (@Greenpeace France) 1552568648
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.
\u201c#LAffaireDuSiecle : la proc\u00e9dure judiciaire est lanc\u00e9e !\n+ d'info \ud83d\udc49https://t.co/yo4lNurvoU\u201d— Greenpeace France (@Greenpeace France) 1552568648
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.