Sustainable Innovation

Nicolas Hulot launched the ‘Pacte Ecologique’ in 2006

Changing public opinion. Most French people seemed to be indifferent to environmental and social issues. Now the buzz is on. How did this happen ?

Nicolas Hulots ‘Pacte Ecologique’ . French Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) sat together end of 2005. They concluded that they should change strategy to get their environmental and social goals higher on the political agenda. Lobby-ing and media exposure were needed. French TV personality Nicolas Hulot was asked to lead the media offensive. The  Web Manifesto ‘Pacte Ecologique’ was launched in November 2006. Among the propositions of Hulot and his team, was  the installation of a new Minister ‘Number 2’ of Sustainable Development. The Pacte Ecologique was signed by 750 thousand people. Among them were CEO’s, celebreties and presidential candidates, including Nicolas Sarkozy(1).

Jean-Francois Borloo, Minister of Sustainable Development and Energy, Transport and Town Planning ; le Grenelle d’Environnement, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France

Sustainable Development in Sarkozy Government. Elected in 2007, President Nicolas Sarkozy had no choice but to take action . First, he appointed the seasoned Jean-Louis Borloo at his new Mega Ministry of ‘Energy, Transport, Town Planning and Sustainable Development’. Second, he organised extensive public debates to define new state directions.  The discussions that followed were without precedent. Over 30.000 individuals and representatives participated . Never before representatives of government, industry, trade unions and NGO’s actually sat together and discussed about environmental and social challenges. The results called ”le Grenelle d’Environment‘ were presented by Minister Borloo in July 2007.  The Grenelle contains France’s key environment and social guidelines for the coming 5 years. Since 2007, new laws and public investment plans are under construction and will soon be implemented.

Sources : 1. http://www.pacte-ecologique.org ; 2. www.legrenelle-environment.fr