1600 employees are threatened with losing their jobs

In his column on Friday, June 12, Eric Le Boucher is Europe ecology economic program to be called of "rudimentary, establish, little credibility." As the initiator of the economic and social Europe ecology project, I am delighted that our proposals do debate in your colonnes. And to allow the debate to continue, I propose some elements of answers to Eric Le Boucher.

You put in issue the idea by environmentalists that "energy-efficient sectors are more creative job" by asking you what mechanism explains this creative virtue of jobs The answer is twofold. First, the intensity in jobs in France of the sectors that could develop in the ecological conversion of our economy (such as the insulation of buildings, renewable energy, public transport) is superior to that of branches whose activity will decrease, as the importation of petroleum or individual automotive manufacturing. It should be, according to Insee, nearly sixteen jobs in France to generate 1 million euros of turnover by isolating buildings when it takes less than three oil refining.

Second, the prévisible increase in the price of oil - crisis raging, it is already up to $ 70 per barrel - will deplete the purchasing power of households, as was the case in the first half of 2008. Households will be therefore led to reduce their consumption to pay their energy, causing a recessive effect in the rest of the economy. Green energy policies to reduce our consumption of oil also reduce the oil bill, which benefit the France employment in other sectors. In 2008, we purchased for oil and gas abroad EUR 65 billion. An amount that represents more than 3 times the stimulus of Nicolas Sarkozy plan.

What are these two mechanisms that explain that all studies (OECD, European Commission, WWF, European Confederation of trade unions (1)) assessing the impact in jobs in the fight against climate change policies lead to the same conclusion: Ecology, it is much more that destroyed jobs. Jobs largely not harder to outsource overseas because, even in the century of globalization, it remains difficult to ride a bus in Paris since Marrakesh or isolate your var since Bangalore residence!

There is therefore a true convergence of interests on these issues between the social and environmental forces, it would be absurd to deny that, for the Continental or Renault employee, make less than tires and less individual cars returned to directly threaten his employment. It is precisely this that Europe ecology defended during the campaign the establishment of an "ecological transformation income". In many areas, the know-how of workers can be used to make something else. But, during the transitional phase, it is imperative to ensure the employee's previous income and their rights to social protection. The ecological conversion of the economy goes hand in hand with securing of career paths, important claim unions the CFDT and the CGT. But this conversion from an "old" industry to a new can sometimes be done quickly. In February, for example, Ford announced the closure of its plant located near Bordeaux. 1,600 employees are threatened with losing their jobs. A few days later, these jobs will be saved by the investment of a German industrialist who goes there mainly manufacture of parts for wind turbines. Because the mechanism that spins the wheels of the cars is not very different from that which turns the turbine blades. These are skills that will be used to reduce our ecological footprint instead of increasing it.

Academe, in economics, green is the right color to get out us of the red. And in politics, it is perhaps also the color of the future.