This week, after days of violent farmers' protests, the French government announced the decision to "pause" the Ecophyto plan, which sets targets for reducing pesticide use. A move that sparked outrage among environmental organisations, ecologists and anyone who cares about nature and their health. This "step back of 15 years," will ruin all existing efforts to address the environmental impact of pesticides.
Since 2008, successive Ecophyto plans have aimed to halve pesticide use and eliminate the most dangerous substances. Despite significant public funding, this goal has never been achieved, prompting calls for stronger measures. A parliamentary inquiry labelled it a "collective failure," highlighting risks to the environment, drinking water, and public health.
Environmental groups, including Générations Futures and Pollinis, condemned the decision. “The collapse of biodiversity knows no pause,” said the NGO Pollinis. It is one of the 5 associations behind the legal procedure forcing the State to better respect its trajectories of reducing the use of pesticides and protecting waters by June 30, 2024. "This announcement is therefore also a refusal to comply with a court decision,”
The government's abrupt pause comes just as the fourth version of the plan, Ecophyto 2030, was nearing completion, aiming to reduce pesticide use by half by 2030 and accelerate the search for alternatives. The French government's decision favours intensive and agro-industrial agriculture, once again the government bends in favour of the lobbies and pretends to be protecting the farmers when they are the first victims of pesticide use.
•
49 w
Very many environmental concerns have been put aside here and it is very concerning
•
49 w
Supporting research and development of effective and safe alternatives to pesticides is necessary for long-term progress.
•
•
49 w
Undermining years of efforts to reduce pesticide use and biodiversity protection
•
49 w
This doesn't need a pause . It needs to be completely stopped. People's lives should stop being put at jeopardy
•
49 w
This is not ok at all as we should all encourage efforts towards positive climate change
•
•
50 w
There'll never be a right time if we are trying to appease everyone, we don't have time, create better grants and subsidies to get farmers on board- transitioning agriculture should not mean losing livelihoods.
•
•
50 w
I'd like to see a plan where farmers and the environment both benefit. No point in harming either
•
•
50 w
The pause on the Ecophyto Plan is indeed disappointing, potentially jeopardizing efforts to address environmental and health concerns.
•
•
50 w
This is a bad call, the French government must recall this to aid in reducing pesticides effects on the environment and people's health.