Le Figaro Bordeaux
“Greta, we love you!”
The arrival of Greta Thunberg in Gironde has galvanized the many opponents to the drilling of eight new oil wells in the Arcachon basin, who have been mobilized for several months.
After passing through the Tarn the day before, where she took part in a rally against the A69 motorway project between Toulouse and Castres - her mud-encrusted boots bear witness to this - the activist was in Bordeaux this Sunday, alongside numerous elected officials and figures in the fight against climate change.
These oil drillings, located in the user forest of La Teste-de-Buch, a town devastated by the fires of summer 2022, are desired by the Canadian company Vermilion, the leading oil producer in France, which operates already around fifty wells on this site, producing around 1500 barrels per day.
Although they obtained the green light following a public inquiry, these drillings are still sharply criticized by scientists and environmentalists, who recall the need to stop any new hydrocarbon exploitation projects.
Around 1% of France's needs
Christophe Cassou, French climatologist and co-author of the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), present in Bordeaux this Sunday, recalls that
“limiting global warming requires a major transformation of the global energy system”
, with notably
“a significant reduction in investments in fossil fuels”
.
The scientist warns of
“the crucial decade”
that we are experiencing, because
“the choices and actions of today determine the warming and the level of risk of tomorrow”
, and recalls that we must
“eliminate fossil fuels of the energy mix
.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) explained in its 6th report that any project to extract fossil fuels is incompatible with the objective of the Paris Agreement, aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5° compared to the pre-industrial era.
The Stop Pétrole Bassin d'Arcachon collective, at the origin of a petition which has already gathered more than 30,000 signatures, recalls that oil production in France only covers around 1% of our needs.
For them,
“our lives are worth more than the profits linked to the exploitation of fossil fuels”
.
Read alsoThe government is playing the card of phasing out fossil fuels
“New arsonists”
Vermilion and its defenders, however, highlight the ecological interest of producing oil locally, rather than importing it, because France is still largely dependent on fossil fuels in many sectors.
“A CO2 molecule is a CO2 molecule, whether French, Canadian or Yemeni
,” retorts Camille Étienne, the climate activist also present in Bordeaux.
For Christophe Cassou, saying that local oil would be better for the environment is like saying that
“even if it means committing suicide, you might as well do it with a drug that you have made yourself”
.
In the large crowd in Bordeaux - 1,200 people according to the prefecture, at least five times more according to the demonstrators - the mayor of Bordeaux, Pierre Hurmic, wanted to remind people of the need to mobilize.
“Our house is burning, and we should allow new arsonists?”
, asks the councilor.
“While France made commitments at COP25 through the Paris agreements, it would be madness to allow these new drillings.”
In addition to the mayor of Bordeaux, many environmentalists were present: MEP Marie Toussaint, MP Marie Pochon, senator Monique de Marco, and activists like Thomas Brail, known for having led a hunger strike to preserve trees. threatened by the A69 motorway project.
Also read: A69 motorway: clashes continue
“Match words and actions”
The authorization of these new oil wells is now in the hands of the prefect of Gironde, but benefits from the support of the government.
While activists took to the streets in Bordeaux under unpredictable skies, the new Minister of Energy, Roland Lescure - now attached to the Ministry of the Economy - said he was in fact in favor of the opening of these new oil wells.
He recalled that France passed a law in 2017 providing for the end of the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the ground in France by 2040, but that nothing prevents them from continuing to extract them until then.
Batucada, glitter, humorous signs and tears of oil drawn in the corner of the eyes on the faces of the demonstrators: the atmosphere was festive this Sunday in Bordeaux.
Among the activists, many young people but also families.
In addition to evocative slogans like
“Vermilion idiot head”
, this gathering had the feel of a climate march, a movement that appeared in 2014 to encourage public authorities to act more effectively to fight against climate change.
Emmanuel Macron's promise, affirming between the two rounds of the 2022 presidential election that
"this five-year term will be ecological or it will not be"
, causes yellow laughter, with activists believing that
"it is time to make "match words and deeds"
and set an example by banning these drillings.