Energy shield - Axis 5
(Arnaud de Lajartre)
In the context of the policy implemented by the French Government to cap energy prices as a social measure – the so called “energy shield” – thereby increasing public expenditure at the expense of the environment, now is the time to question what we might call the "environmental shield", i.e. the level and effectiveness of the functional and symbolic protection given to the environment. Whether we're talking about heritage, common goods or just natural resources, contemporary environmental law, both at the national and international level, has been built on this awareness of the need to protect the biosphere.
But are our standards ambitious enough to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene, which marks a new age for humankind? Will the ecological, energy and solidarity transition amplify the societal mutation initiated by sustainable development with a view to consolidate this environmental shield against humans themselves? The principle of non-regression, enshrined in the first articles of the Environmental Code, is one step in this direction, but what role does it play? What is the real situation after decades of national and international regulations?
