by Gabrielle Okun
France’s environment minister quit his position live on air Tuesday over frustration from the government’s lack of attention to combat climate change.
Nicolas Hulot, the environment minister, made the surprising announcement on France Inter radio saying that he is resigning from his position. Hulot claimed that curtailing climate change is not prioritized by the French government, the BBC reported.
Hulot claimed that his wife did not even know about his big announcement, according to the New York Post.
“I am going to take … the most difficult decision of my life,” Hulot said. “I am taking the decision to leave the government.” (RELATED: Science Journalist Considered Not Having Children Due To Climate Change)
Hulot claimed he decided to quit Monday after a hunting lobbyist was allowed to attend a meeting about bird hunting restrictions.
“I no longer want to lie to myself,” Hulot said. “I don’t want to create the illusion that my presence in government means that we’re up to standard on these issues, and so I am deciding to quit the government.”
Hulot also stated during the interview that he did not tell French President Emmanuel Macron about his plans on resigning so that he would not be persuaded into staying.
“France is doing more than a lot of other countries. Do not make me say that it is doing enough. It is not doing enough. Europe is not doing enough. The world is not doing enough,” he continued.
Macron was the first French president to convince Hulot to join his party. The environmentalist previously turned down offers from former French Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande.
