2023-12-11 17:38:00
These disagreements might until recently be read implicitly in the interviews of the blues and the greens, each accusing the other in hushed words of going in the wrong direction on environmental strategy. But lately – is this the approach to the election campaign? – the filters seem to be lifted. “We are regularly in a standoff with David Clarinval,” Rajae Maouane, co-president of Ecolo, told us at the beginning of December.
Sunday, new episode of standoff. “Contrary to what Minister Khattabi announced without the approval of the government in Dubai, the government will not put an end to policies supporting fossil fuels,” tweeted the Liberal Deputy Prime Minister, in reference to diplomatic action from the minister at COP 28.
On behalf of Belgium, Zakia Khattabi joined a coalition at COP 28 calling for an end to support for fossil fuel subsidies. According to his office, the amount of “subsidies” for fossil fuels was estimated in Belgium in 2020 at nearly 13 billion euros, mainly tax exemptions and reduced rates of excise or VAT. The Ecolo cabinet specifies that the call calls in particular for an inventory to be made, “which the federal government is already doing”.
Minister MR considers that Minister Ecolo’s statements are contrary to the government agreement and problematic in more than one way.
For David Clarinval, “stopping this support would amount to stopping the social tariff for hundreds of thousands of Belgians, eliminating company cars (including electric) and the pocket salary they represent and stopping professional diesel for thousands of creators jobs”. He promises to do everything to block the proposals of his coalition partner.
”You can count on my determination to [que les déclarations de Zakia Khattabi] remain a dead letter and continue, on the other hand, with the climate and energy choices of the government, particularly in terms of extending nuclear power,” sends the Biévrois.
Unsurprisingly, a series of Ecolo representatives have stepped up to qualify these remarks as anti-science and climate skeptics. Alain Maron, Brussels Minister of Climate, allowed himself a pun: “The MR, this fossil party…”
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