French environmental measures: two points of view from the green platform in France
The French agricultural industry is in the process of making sweeping changes in the way it approaches green issues – the project is called the Grenelle de l’Environnement. We talked to two key players in France, M. Pascal Berteaud, the Director of Water at the Ministry of Ecology and Mme. Elisabeth Mercier, the President of Agence Bio, to find out what is going on.
What is the Grenelle de l’Environnement and why has this been created?
Pascal Berteaud : The objective is to group together all key French stakeholders who are concerned with environmental issues and ensure that everyone involved tries to understand each other’s needs and priorities. It is also designed to encourage debate in order to ensure the creation of a structure which will last. Indeed, this follows the logic of the title “Grenelle”, a reference to the agreements founded after May ’68*.
We have already seen certain advances – indeed I believe that we will be able to refer in the future to “ante” and “post” Grenelle.
What are the general plans of action which have already emerged from the « Grenelle » ?
PB : The plan focuses on the development of the organic channel, with the objective of 6% of the agricultural surface becoming organic by 2012, rising to 20% in 2020, through the development of the organic channel throughout the consumption chain, from field to table. It is thus important for us to take measures to oblige all state-run catering (school canteens, etc) to process circa 20% of organic produce by 2012.
The second step is to launch a voluntary certification for businesses, and the creation and promotion of a specific qualification “Haute Valeur Environnementale” (HVE), by 2008.
Programmes are also proposed which concern fertilisers and pesticides with the objective of withdrawing within four years the most harmful substances, as well as reducing, if possible, the use of pesticides by 50% within the next ten years. This objective is subject to the development of replacement solutions, thus explaining the timeline of ten years.
In order to support all these actions, the strategy is to work heavily at the research level, through building a series of specific research programmes in order to develop tools and technical protocols which are more respectful of the environment. An allocation of €9 million has already been proposed for the Agence Nationale de la Recherche.
The operational phase is being prepared at the moment, so that before the end of this year, a presentation will take place on the operational programmes which will be put in place together with the allocated budgets.
How will this project be organised?
PB : The organisation falls into four phases :
The first phase was to create six national working groups, each of 50 people, who worked together between 15 July and the end of September.
18 regional meetings were then set up at the end of September. This was the first national consultation process open to the public with the objective of encouraging comments on the findings and thoughts of the working groups. At the same time, there was a consultation phase carried out via the Internet, gathering 300,000 people with 14,259 contributions placed online.
The third phase took place at the end of October over two days, where 50 of the key stakeholders, together with the relevant Ministers of State, met together to draw the final conclusions from all the research carried out during this process.
The fourth phase is to come: the implementation phase which is due to start now.
What is the situation regarding organic production, and more specifically organic wine production?
PB : What is clear is that viticulture is one of the sectors where the use of pesticides is fairly significant, and thus this is one of the sectors in which it is necessary to work, which justifies the importance of developing research implemented in the short term in order to find appropriate solutions.
* May ’68 : following strikes by students and workers in May 1968, the French government decided to invite all stakeholders to the town of Grenelle in order to resolve the issues and find a suitable agreement between them all – a step which marked a sea change in French society.
What is happening at the moment with regards to organic wine production in France?
Elisabeth Mercier : In ten years the area cultivated organically has nearly quadrupled. Today there are 1,639 wine makers practising organic farming on some 18,809 ha. Every region of France is represented – both large and small domains, and all categories of wines. In certain regions wine makers are particularly involved – for example those in Saussignac are all organic as are half those in AOC Baux de Provence. In 2005 the turnover generated from organic wines in France represented €189 million. This figure is on the increase and exports are in full swing.
How will this trend develop?
EM : There is more and more interest in organic farming methods in France and interest is increasing in major export markets like Germany, UK, Scandinavia, Japan and the US. We estimate that by 2012 the sector will have tripled in size.
How would you summarise the impact of organic farming on the environment?
EG : Because organic farming uses neither pesticides nor synthetic chemical fertilisers, it is the best way of respecting the environment: it is beneficial to the quality of water, the fertility of the soil, as well as encouraging biodiversity. Organic farming also has a favourable carbon footprint as it avoids using energy to create synthetic fertilisers.
With organic wine growing the soil and the micro-fauna are protected. Innovative or traditional methods replace chemicals. Let me list some of the practices the farmers put in place:
- Mulching between the vines
- Introduction of dry-stone walling on contour lines
- Grassing of paths
- Grassing between vines
- Mechanical weeding when necessary
Can you tell us about the AB (Agriculture Biologique) labelling?
EM : The AB logo shows that the wine has been made from grapes grown under organic rules. In France there are six certificating organisations authorised to issue the AB logo.