DST5 AgrMn Blank - English CPGE 2015

DST 5 [Agro-Veto, 2h00] – Global climate action
Translation. [ Thème Agro-Veto. 6 points ]
La moitié des animaux sauvages a disparu en moins d'un demi-siècle.
Un chiffre spectaculaire qui fait froid dans le dos. «Nous utilisons la nature comme si nous avions plus d'une planète
à notre disposition»: tel est l'implacable constat dressé par le dernier rapport publié par l'ONG WWF ce mardi.
Plusieurs raisons sont mises en avant pour expliquer cette chute spectaculaire du nombre d'animaux sauvages. La
première est l'exploitation démesurée des ressources naturelles par l'homme. Le deuxième grand facteur est la perte
des habitats naturels, en raison de l'agriculture intensive, de l'urbanisation, ou de la déforestation. Le changement
climatique est aussi partiellement responsable. Et bien sûr, l'explosion démographique: la population de la planète a
doublé en l'espace de 50 ans.
La surexploitation de la planète est une réalité chiffrée. «Si nous avions tous le style de vie d'un Américain moyen
nous aurions besoin de 3,9 planètes», précise le rapport.
Adapté du Figaro.fr | 30.09.2014 (148 mots)
France moves step closer to plastic bag ban
Adapted from thelocal.com, Oct. 2, 2014 (481 words).
The prospect of a nationwide plastic bag ban in France moved a step closer this week with the proposal included in
the government’s energy bill that was debated in Parliament. Paris is leading the race to be the country’s first plastic
bag free city.
The Socialist government has long had plastic bags in its sights and the prospect of a ban on supermarkets handing
out them out is becoming more a reality. The country’s Environment Minister Ségoléne Royal made it clear earlier this
year her intention to make plastic bags at supermarket checkouts a thing of the past.
“It’s a very important step, which has been anticipated for a very long time by environmental associations. We don’t
realize the extent to which non-biodegradable plastic bags lead to pollution and excessive waste, which can
considerable harm, notably to fish,” said Royal, at the time.
The measure which would bring an end to single use bags has been included in the government’s energy transition
bill that was debated by parliament this week. Under the proposal plastic bags would be banned in shops from
January 1st 2016. The bill does not include a ban on those plastic bags that are deemed re-usable or biodegradable.
It also suggests promoting other methods to carry home shopping such as trolleys.
Thanks to a previous voluntary agreement, the number of plastic bags distributed at large supermarket counters in
France has already decreased drastically from 10.5 billion to 700 million between 2002 and 2011. But in all around 5
billion are still handed out at check-outs and another 12 billion distributed at fruit and veg stalls. Authorities in Paris
have already stolen a lead and are not waiting for the government’s bill to come into force.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo proposed launching consultations with large supermarkets to try and make the city the first in
France to stop the distribution of plastic bags. "This afternoon I propose that Paris becomes the first city in France to
halt the distribution of single use plastic bags," Hidalgo tweeted.
France’s efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags in distribution comes on the back of a call by the EU asking
member states to reduce the 100 billion bags handed out by 80 percent.
When it comes to the countries that hand out the most, France is one of the more environmentally conscious pupils in
the EU, with inhabitants using around 80 plastic bags each year on average, according to 2010 figures from the EU.
Bottom of the class comes Estonia, where around 450 single use bags are used each year per inhabitant. Top of the
class come the Nordic countries of Denmark and Finland where citizens use only four plastic bags on average each
year.
Question 1. [ Agro-Veto. 90-110 words. 6 points ]
! How is Mayor Hidalgo’s plastic bag policy analyzed at both national and EU levels?
Question 2. [ Agro-Veto. 180-220 words 8 points ]
! Plastic bags ought to be banned altogether. To what extent would you say you agree?
DST 5 [Mines-Ponts, 1h30] – Global climate action
Translation. [ Thème Mines-Ponts. 8 points ]
La moitié des animaux sauvages a disparu en moins d'un demi-siècle.
Un chiffre spectaculaire qui fait froid dans le dos. «Nous utilisons la nature comme si nous avions plus d'une planète
à notre disposition»: tel est l'implacable constat dressé par le dernier rapport publié par l'ONG WWF ce mardi.
Plusieurs raisons sont mises en avant pour expliquer cette chute spectaculaire du nombre d'animaux sauvages. La
première est l'exploitation démesurée des ressources naturelles par l'homme. Le deuxième grand facteur est la perte
des habitats naturels, en raison de l'agriculture intensive, de l'urbanisation, ou de la déforestation. Le changement
climatique est aussi partiellement responsable. Et bien sûr, l'explosion démographique: la population de la planète a
doublé en l'espace de 50 ans.
La surexploitation de la planète est une réalité chiffrée. «Si nous avions tous le style de vie d'un Américain moyen
nous aurions besoin de 3,9 planètes», précise le rapport.
Adapté du Figaro.fr | 30.09.2014 (148 mots)
France moves step closer to plastic bag ban
Adapted from thelocal.com, Oct. 2, 2014 (481 words).
The prospect of a nationwide plastic bag ban in France moved a step closer this week with the proposal included in
the government’s energy bill that was debated in Parliament. Paris is leading the race to be the country’s first plastic
bag free city.
The Socialist government has long had plastic bags in its sights and the prospect of a ban on supermarkets handing
out them out is becoming more a reality. The country’s Environment Minister Ségoléne Royal made it clear earlier this
year her intention to make plastic bags at supermarket checkouts a thing of the past.
“It’s a very important step, which has been anticipated for a very long time by environmental associations. We don’t
realize the extent to which non-biodegradable plastic bags lead to pollution and excessive waste, which can
considerable harm, notably to fish,” said Royal, at the time.
The measure which would bring an end to single use bags has been included in the government’s energy transition
bill that was debated by parliament this week. Under the proposal plastic bags would be banned in shops from
January 1st 2016. The bill does not include a ban on those plastic bags that are deemed re-usable or biodegradable.
It also suggests promoting other methods to carry home shopping such as trolleys.
Thanks to a previous voluntary agreement, the number of plastic bags distributed at large supermarket counters in
France has already decreased drastically from 10.5 billion to 700 million between 2002 and 2011. But in all around 5
billion are still handed out at check-outs and another 12 billion distributed at fruit and veg stalls. Authorities in Paris
have already stolen a lead and are not waiting for the government’s bill to come into force.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo proposed launching consultations with large supermarkets to try and make the city the first in
France to stop the distribution of plastic bags. "This afternoon I propose that Paris becomes the first city in France to
halt the distribution of single use plastic bags," Hidalgo tweeted.
France’s efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags in distribution comes on the back of a call by the EU asking
member states to reduce the 100 billion bags handed out by 80 percent.
When it comes to the countries that hand out the most, France is one of the more environmentally conscious pupils in
the EU, with inhabitants using around 80 plastic bags each year on average, according to 2010 figures from the EU.
Bottom of the class comes Estonia, where around 450 single use bags are used each year per inhabitant. Top of the
class come the Nordic countries of Denmark and Finland where citizens use only four plastic bags on average each
year.
Question 1. [ Mines-Ponts. 70-120 words. 5 points ]
! How is Mayor Hidalgo’s plastic bag policy analyzed at both national and EU levels?
Question 2. [ Mines-Ponts. 120-200 words 7 points ]
! Plastic bags ought to be banned altogether. To what extent would you say you agree?