Pesticide reintroduction blocked by French constitutional council
The top constitutional council in France has ruled against the reintroduction of a pesticide that is said to be harmful to ecosystems, saying that doing so would be unconstitutional. The decision is a “blow to the government,” says The Guardian, coming following weeks of opposition from the left, environmentalists, and doctors. A record breaking two million people signed a petition against a bill that would allow the pesticide to come back after being banned in the country in 2020.
The “Duplomb law,” named after conservative lawmaker Laurent Duplomb who proposed it, was presented in the French parliament in a bid to support French farmers. The farmers had been frustrated over bureaucratic constraints on agriculture, foreign competition, and what they consider stringent regulations which includes pesticide.
But the constitutional council has found that the reintroduction of acetamiprid, a chemical known to be toxic to pollinators including bees, would contravene the country’s environmental charter, guaranteeing the “right to live in a balanced and healthy environment.” Green leader, Marine Tondelier, said she was “very relieved” by the verdict.
Beet and hazelnut growers wanted the pesticide, saying they had no alternatives against pests and were up against unfair competition. Some argued that it is allowed in other EU countries and is crucial to fight against virus yellows which cuts yields by 20% in 2020 and reduced sugar output.
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