France's minister for the environmental transition, Monique Barbut, announced her resignation on Wednesday, citing powerful opposition to her environmental goals. Her departure comes after a controversial emergency agriculture bill was passed by lawmakers, allowing temporary exemptions for the use of two pesticides previously banned in France due to potential harm to bees and other pollinators.
Barbut, who was appointed in October of the previous year, stated that the legislation, passed Tuesday, permits the French food, environmental, and occupational health agency to exceptionally authorize the use of acetamiprid and flupyradifurone for certain struggling agricultural sectors. She expressed that she was prevented from debating the removal of this provision, contrary to commitments made to her.
In a social media message, Barbut reflected on her tenure, stating, "Over the past nine months, I have defended those who do not march, who do not vote, and who do not shout: the silence of our forests, the quality of our water, the purity of our air, the richness of our soils, and the diversity of life." She concluded, "Today, I must acknowledge that the forces opposing these goals have become so powerful that I no longer have the means to carry this ambition through."
The pesticides in question, acetamiprid and flupyradifurone, belong to a class of agrochemicals known as neonicotinoids. While permitted under European Union rules, they have been banned in France. The emergency bill authorizes their use on sugar beet, apples, hazelnuts, and cherries.
This development follows a similar instance a year prior, when France's highest court blocked a key part of a farming law that aimed to reintroduce acetamiprid. The court at that time ruled that the measure failed to adequately protect the environment and future generations.