Issued on: 21/06/2020 – 14:52Modified: 21/06/2020 – 14:52
A citizens' council set up by President Emmanuel Macron to explore measures for cutting carbon emissions urged the French leader on Sunday to hold a referendum on making the destruction of nature a crime.
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The "ecocide" proposal topped dozens of ideas presented by the 150 randomly picked members of the Citizen's Convention on Climate, along with inscribing the fight against global warming in the French Constitution.
But participants voted against submitting a broader package of measures to the public as it wound up three days of debate during its final session on Sunday.
The move was a rejection of Macron's suggestion last week that a referendum could be held on the individual measures, which range from improving home insulation to cutting maximum highway speeds to 110 km/h from 130 km/h (80 mph to 70 mph).
"Let's make this referendum we've decided on the basis for holding all the other discussions," said Hubert, one of the participants, who like the others was identified by his first name only.
Members gathered in separate rooms at the Palais d'Iena in Paris, while others participated by videoconference, to ensure social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak.
'Direct democracy' demands
Macron formed the council in response to demands for greater "direct democracy" in the wave of the "yellow vest" anti-government protests that rocked the country in 2018 and 2019.
The unexpectedly fierce rebellion was sparked by a planned fuel tax hike aimed at funding thRead More – Source
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