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François Gemenne: "In France, there is a particular cultural relationship to the car, almost carnal"

2023-03-05T19:18:33.071Z


INTERVIEW – The political scientist, author of the book Ecology is not a consensus. Overcoming indignation (Fayard), reacts to the contestation of low emission zones.


LE FIGARO.

- Low emission zones (ZFE) are arousing strong opposition.

Does this reluctance surprise you?

Francois Gemenne.

-

The anger that EPZs can generate does not surprise me at all.

We have known it from the start: this measure, although essential in view of the number of deaths per year (more than 40,000) linked to air pollution, is very unpopular and requires a certain political courage.

But, in France, there is a very particular cultural relationship to the car, almost carnal.

So much so that all the measures that affect car traffic carry the risk of generating a form of anger: whether it is increases in fuel taxes (this has given rise to the "yellow vests"), road gantries (this gave birth to the “red caps” of Brittany) or even speed limit measures on motorways and departmental roads… It is clear that this generates an almost systematic revolt.

Read also“An ordeal”, “unfair”, “stressful”: ZFEs, new nightmare for motorists

The EPZs therefore carry a blow…

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Source: lefigaro

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