Macron accused of 'climate hypocrisy' as staggering emissions exposed after £13bn pledge

A new report has found that the French President would have to plant over 2,100 trees to be able to offset the amount of CO2 produced from his air travel for administrative duties since becoming the leader of France. He has travelled the second most air miles in the G7 for administrative duties since he came into power – 376,391 miles in just 1,872 days in the role.

Pack & Send’s report identified that Mr Macron is estimated to have produced 51,254 kg of CO2 from these journeys.

This comes after the French President pledged a “complete renewal”
to his climate policy ahead of the French Presidential elections, with a “mission of making France the first major nation to leave behind oil, gas and coal”.

In a debate with his opposite number, Marine Le Pen, he said: “All the experts say it  there is no way out of fossil fuels that goes through all-nuclear.”

He added that the “only way to respond to the climate challenge is to make nuclear and renewable energies” at the same time.

But Ms Le Pen responded by calling him a “climate sceptic” as well as a “climate hypocrite”.

And back in 2020 Mr Macron had set aside €15billion (£13billion) to tackle the climate crisis.

He also highlighted the need for stronger action on climate ahead of the COP26 climate summit and the release of the UN’s IPCC report which issued a “code red” for humanity over the impacts of global warming.

Mr Macron said: “The IPCC report is final. Again. The time for indignation is behind us.

“Paris Agreement, carbon neutrality at European level, climate law…

“France will remain on the side of those who act. In November, in Glasgow, let’s seal an agreement equal to the urgency!”

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But following this announcement, Mr Macron was again blasted for his hypocrisy on the subject.

Responding to the French leader’s statement, Generation Frexit leader Charles-Henri Gallois said: “The first action is to relocate production and stop the madness of total free trade which is devastating the planet.
“You did nothing for it and are accomplices.

“Free trade agreements initiated by the EU since 2017.

“Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Vietnam, Singapore, Mexico, Chile, Australia, New Zealand.”

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And at the COP26 climate summit, Mr Macron then called on “the biggest emitters, whose national strategies are not in line with our 1.5°C objectives, to raise their ambitions”.

But it may become the case that nations find it difficult to take Mr Macron seriously given the staggering number of emissions he is personally responsible for.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spent the least amount of time away on international travel proportionately compared to the rest of the G7 leaders.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled even more than Mr Macron, with 422,470 air miles.

source: express.co.uk