Human activity has upended nature. Glaciers are melting, seas are warming. Yet while science helps us see clearly, politics often tries to shut our eyes: it calls reality “ideology,” sells its denial as “pragmatism,” and seeks votes by peddling the cynical illusion that producing in ways that destroy nature can benefit the economy. This is not a matter of left or right, but of seriousness—and of responsibility toward citizens. The issue affects not only our quality of life—water and agriculture first of all—but also our economic security: reducing dependence on hydrocarbons would shield us from shocks to the prices of gasoline, electricity, and food, as the Gulf War vividly reminds us.
After an unsparing analysis of the challenges exposed by the destruction of biodiversity, Sylvie Goulard calls for action. Waiting passively only increases the damage and costs. Solutions exist—provided society mobilizes as a whole: public institutions must set rules, incentives, and penalties; businesses must rethink and innovate their production models to make them more regenerative; and citizens, through what they buy and the choices they make, can push companies to change and, through their vote, influence political decisions.