Emmanuel Macron within reach of sharks and “Napoleon” fish: the unusual image, in the lair of the Lisbon Oceanarium, has every chance of delighting political commentators when the president has just lost his absolute majority to the Assembly which is already scrambling for key positions.
“There are sharks”, is surprised the head of state, sitting behind a giant aquarium to defend France’s candidacy for the organization of the next United Nations Conference on the oceans in 2025.
“There are sharks, manta rays, groupers, sunfish, corfu, octopus, otter, and one fish you might see passing by, he was asked to be there , it’s the Napoleon fish”, adds Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, ambassador for the poles and maritime issues, on the sidelines of the Lisbon ocean conference.
The monumental Napoleon finally invades space, as close as possible to the Head of State. Only a window separates them. “It’s a” huge fish, blue, with a hump, the cocked hat “, sums up the ambassador.
The sharks “walk” in turn in the background of the decor, until giving the impression of touching the cheek of the Head of State, very absorbed, or of wanting to swallow him.
Emmanuel Macron then dwells on the challenges of the oceans, subject to all the excesses of human activity, from floating landfills of platisques to the depletion of fishery resources.
“I don’t think it’s too late (to act) but it’s the last moment”, he says in English, referring to the next biodiversity summit in Montreal in December and the 2025 conference. .
“Our intention is to have a kind of COP approach to involve all the actors,” he adds in reference to the Paris climate COP21 in 2015.
France and Costa Rica hope to host the 2025 conference. “We are going to show the world that politics and science can work together”, concludes Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles by videoconference.
06/30/2022 20:54:00 – Lisbon (AFP) – © 2022 AFP
