The Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu called on the National Assembly on Thursday to find an “operative device” to limit “the artificialization of the soil” while responding to the concerns of local elected officials, whose deputies echoed at length .
Few subjects concentrate so many issues, said the minister, opening the debate on a bill from the Senate. It intends to facilitate for mayors the application of the objective of zero net artificialisation of soils (ZAN) in 2050.
This objective, set by the 2021 Climate Law, must be achieved in two phases. By 2031, the consumption of natural and agricultural areas must be halved. Then, by 2050, a net balance will have to be established: the concrete hectares will have to be compensated by the renaturation of an equivalent surface.
Local elected officials are worried about being imposed a form of supervision of the regions. Fear to which the text of the Senate intends to respond, and which many deputies have relayed.
ZAN is ruralicide, launched the deputy LR Marc Le Fur, believing that the objective set would prohibit any development in the rural world. The mayors must remain sovereign in their commune on the question of developments, also insisted the communist Sbastien Jumel.
Most groups have reserved their voting position depending on the debates, which are due to last until Friday evening, before a solemn vote next Tuesday.
For the executive, the upper house, dominated by the right, has gone a bit too far.
Among the most sensitive subjects: national projects, which the Senate had planned to deduct from the envelopes of artificial land allocated to the regions by 2031, so as not to penalize the host territories.
I am in favor provided that this does not call into question the objective of a 50% reduction by 2031, explained Mr. Bchu, insisting that the list of projects remain defined by the State.
Another hot spot in the text: the right to build for small municipalities. The Senate voted for an envelope of one hectare of minimum area on which the municipality can ensure development. The Minister pleaded for this rural guarantee to remain confined to rural and sparsely populated municipalities.
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A series of LR and RN amendments, ultimately rejected, provided for the exclusion from ZAN objectives of municipalities with 11,000 inhabitants, 10,000 inhabitants, 9,000, etc.
We listened to a good series of obstruction amendments, lamented Renaissance rapporteur Bastien Marchive, while around 600 amendments are being considered.
These amendments are the translation of the fear of rural municipalities, retorted Vincent Rolland (LR).
Christophe Bchu called on him to confine himself to the principle of the rural guarantee.
He also asked the deputies to find an operational system before the middle of July, which meets the expectations of these thousands of mayors (…) who are asking us for some flexibility.