Green presenter in ‘sustainable’ row

THE phrase sustainable development has become nothing more than a cover up for polluting behaviour, according to environmental campaigner Nicolas Hulot.

His attack on the overuse of the term comes ahead of a week dedicated to ‘sustainable development’ organised by the Ministry of the Environment.

Hulot told the magazine Terra Eco: “I deplore the abuse of the term sustainable development.

“I get the impression that it’s nothing more than a spoonful of sugar to help us digest our excessive behaviour.”

“When I hear that they want to build a ‘sustainable’ Formula 1 circuit near Paris, I get a bit sick,” he said.

The TV presenter and author said that while he thought the idea of the Sustainable Development Week ( Semaine du Développement Durable) was “nice and necessary” it was ultimately not enough.

He told the magazine that the economic crisis could become a watershed for the environmental movement.

“The financial crisis caught us all short and that’s its only good thing – it’s made us doubt everything,” he said.

“Suddenly, in France like elsewhere, people are open to new ideas.”

He said he hoped to see an environmental tax ( taxe écologique ) and a charge on carbon emissions ( contribution climat-énergie) brought in by the government.

In 2006 Hulot, who founded the Fondation Nicolas Hulot in 1990 to improve environmental awareness, said that he would run for president unless other candidates signed up to an environmental charter.

While polls rated him highly popular as a potential runner, he decided not to stand in January 2007.

Photo:Olivier Tétard