French Senate seeks to weaken constitutional commitment to fighting climate change
May 11, 2021, 8:58 am

French Senate seeks to weaken constitutional commitment to fighting climate change

An aerial view shows power-generating windmill turbines in the middle of rapeseed fields, in Beauvois en Cambresis, France, May 5, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. (Reuters)

The French Senate voted to weaken a constitutional commitment to fighting climate change and preserving biodiversity, setting it on a collision course with the lower house that may jeopardize prospects for a referendum.

The Senate, dominated by opposition conservatives, took issue with a proposal in draft legislation that the constitution “guarantee” the fight against climate change, preferring wording that was less binding.

Right-wing lawmakers expressed concerns that a state guarantee might become an obstacle to innovation and French businesses.

In a vote late on Monday, the Senate amended the clause in a wide-reaching climate bill to read: “(The Republic) protects the environment as well as biodiversity and acts against climate change...”

President Emmanuel Macron pledged a plebiscite on enshrining the fight against global warming in the constitution in response to criticism from left-leaning voters and some lawmakers in his party that he had not done enough to protect the planet.

The clause’s original wording was proposed by a panel of 150 citizens established by Macron to draw up policy proposals for battling climate change.

However, a referendum requires that the lower and upper house be in agreement. Following the Senate’s vote, a joint commission comprising lawmakers from both chambers will now seek wording they can both accept.

Macron said on Sunday he remained committed to a popular vote.

“I hope the senators will change their minds and that we can allow the people to have their say on this proposal,” government spokesman Gabriel Attal told France Inter radio.

source: Reuters

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
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For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”