Luxembourg must "protect the climate at all costs"

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel announced the creation of the climate council back in October 2021, during his State of the Nation address.

Now, after "eight months of intense deliberation",  the council, which is made up of around 100 citizens, has presented its proposals to government representatives including Bettel himself, as well as the environment minister Joëlle Welfring.

The meeting is said to have gone well, with council members later saying the Premier had listened attentively to their proposals. Representatives of the council formulated around 50 recommendations in order to aid the Grand Duchy in the fight against global warming.

In particular, the recommendations focused on accelerating the transition to renewable energies, improving waste management, raising public awareness, reducing food waste, preserving soil, reducing meat consumption and better managing our living space.

The "polluter-pays" principle was also mentioned, while some recommended a "significant" increase in the CO2 tax.

Although many of these objectives already form part of the government's programme, the council took the opportunity to ask the Luxembourg government to step things up a notch. " We must protect the climate at all costs", declared one of the representatives.

Les représentants du Bureau citoyen pour le climat photographiés le 15 septembre 2022 / © SIP/ Emmanuel Claude

Some original ideas were also mentioned, such as the creation of a new energy passport taking into account "the true carbon footprint of all buildings" or even the establishment of a bonus for consumers who have their electronic devices repaired instead of replacing them.

A ban on non-recyclable materials in schools and public spaces was also recommended, as well as the creation of an ecological label on food products and areas reserved for eco-responsible products in stores.

Overall, there was no shortage of ideas at the Hôtel Saint-Augustin, making it clear that some residents are ready to step up their efforts in the fight against global warming.
However, as the Q&A round that followed proved, there are still people who think that climate change is not a priority, such as the journalist who asked the citizens' council if they wanted to "return to the Middle Ages".

This suggests that the first battle to be waged will be that of raising public awareness and encouraging immediate action in light of the climate crisis.

As a next step, members of the climate council will present their propositions to relevant committees in the Chamber of Deputies in early October, ahead of the consultation debate which is set to take place on 25 October.