AFP UK

Few species evoke the spirit of the American wild as much as wolves

Scientists often study the grim impacts of losing wildlife to hunting, habitat destruction and climate change. But what happens when endangered animals are brought back from the brink?

Research has shown restoring so-called “keystone” species — those with an outsized impact on their environment — is vital for the health of ecosystems, and can come with unexpected benefits for humans.

Here are some notable examples from North America. 

– Wolves –

Few species evoke the American wild as much as wolves. 

Though revered by Indigenous communities, European colonists who arrived in the 1600s embarked on widespread extermination campaigns through hunting and trapping.

By the mid-20th century, fewer than a thousand gray wolves were left in the continental United States, down from at least a quarter million before colonization.

Extinction was averted in the 1970s when lawmakers passed the Endangered Species Act, helping revive the apex predator in parts of its former range.

Then, in the mid-1990s, the government took wolves from Canada and reintroduced them to Yellowstone National Park.

This generated a wealth of data that scientists are still working to understand.

The new arrivals kept elk numbers down, preventing them from over-browsing vegetation that provides material for birds to build nests and beavers to build dams — a phenomenon known as a trophic cascade.

The recovered vegetation helped stop soil erosion into rivers, changing their course by reducing meandering.

While building their dams, the beavers also create deep ponds that juvenile fish and frogs need to survive.

When they embark on hunts, wolves focus on weak and diseased prey, ensuring survival of the fittest.

A recent paper even found that wolves brought back in the midwestern state of Wisconsin kept deer away from roads, reducing collisions with cars.

Amaroq Weiss, a biologist and senior wolf advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity compared ecosystems to tapestries, “and when we take out some of the threads, we weaken that tapestry,” she told AFP.

It’s thought there are now more than 6,000 gray wolves in the US. The main threat is legalized hunting in some states.

– Buffalo –

The story of the American buffalo — also known as bison — is inextricably linked to the dark history of the early United States.

From an estimated 30 million, their number plummeted to just hundreds by the late 19th century as the US government sought to wipe out plains tribe Indians whose way of life depended on the animal.

“It was an intentional genocide to remove the buffalo, to the remove the Indians and force them onto reservations,” Cody Considine of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) told AFP.

Buffalo, he explained, are an integral part of TNC’s efforts to re-establish prairies in the Nachusa Grasslands of Illinois.

The buffalo, who were introduced there in 2014 and now number around a hundred, favor eating grass over flowering plants and legumes, which in turn allows a variety of birds, insects and amphibians to flourish.

“Some of these species without that grazing simply just disappear off the landscape due to the high competition of the grasses,” added Considine.

As they forage, bisons’ hooves kick up and aerate the soil, further aiding in plant growth as well as seed dispersion. 

TNC currently manages some 6,500 buffalo, and is creating a pilot program with tribal partners that involves transferring excess animals to Indigenous communities, as part of broader efforts to revive America’s national mammal. 

Some 20,000 buffalo are now thought to roam in “conservation herds,” though none are truly free roaming, added Considine.

– Sea otters –

As the dominant predator of marine nearshore environments, sea otters play a hugely important role in their ecosystem.

Historically they spanned from Baja California up the West Coast up to Alaska, Russia and northern Japan, but hunting in the 1700s and 1800s decimated their numbers, which were once up to 300,000. 

They were thought for a while to have been completely exterminated off California, but a small surviving population of around 50 helped them partially recover to some 3,000 today.

Jess Fujii, sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, told AFP that research during the 1970s in the Aleutian Islands showed the otters maintained the balance of kelp forest by keeping a check on the sea urchins that graze on them.

In the last decade, more complex interactions have come to light. These include the downstream benefits of otters for eelgrass habitats in California estuaries. 

Here, the sea otters controlled the population of crabs, which meant there were more sea slugs who were able to graze algae, keeping the eelgrass healthy.

Eelgrass is considered a “nursery of the sea” for juvenile fish, and it also reduces erosion, which can factor in coastal floods.

“Kelp and eelgrass are often considered good ways to sequester carbon which can help mitigate the ongoing impacts of climate change,” stressed Fujii, a prime example of how destruction of nature can worsen planetary warming.

It's not often that fishermen and conservationists see eye to eye

A local fishing ban off the southern French coast has won praise from environmentalists and fishermen alike, a rare example of biodiversity protection dovetailing with business interests.

Almost two decades after the ban, Cap Roux, a coastal tip of the Esterel mountain range near the resort of Saint-Raphael on the Mediterranean coast, is a biodiversity haven. 

It stands in stark contrast to many other places on the Cote d’Azur where unbridled construction, overfishing and heavy shipping traffic have spoiled the once-pristine natural environment.

More than 80 species of marine life thrive off Cap Roux, attracted by meadows of seagrass and so-called “living rock” beneath the waves, a fusion of coral and algae.

Fishing here has been forbidden since 2004, a ban covering 450 hectares (1,112 acres).

Surprisingly to some, local fishermen called for the restriction, saying fish needed a safe place to breed and grow to renew stocks.

“Fishermen were worried about their future, and said ‘let’s find a space for a nursery that will replenish the surrounding waters,'” said Christian Decugis, Saint-Raphael’s first fishing mediator.

– ‘More fish, bigger fish’ –

The fish sanctuary lies in the heart of an EU-protected reserve, chosen because it is a relatively unspoilt natural spot, far from the coast’s commercial ports.

“There would have been no point creating a reserve in an area that’s already been messed up,” said Decugis.

The ban has resulted in “many more fish and bigger fish, and an abundance of species”, he said, an observation backed by scientific studies and experiments.

Evidence shows the haven status has helped protect populations of grouper and corb, with scorpion fish and sea bream doing particularly well.

A 2017 study by APAM, an association promoting sustainable fishing, said that income for fishermen was “significantly higher” near the sanctuary than in zones farther away.

Beyond financial benefits, the new system also improves the reputation of the fishing community, which is often accused of having little concern for the consequences of relentlessly exploiting the sea’s resources.

“The image of a profession that is getting a handle on things and that thinks about tomorrow is very motivating for the fishermen,” Decugis said.

– ‘Open treasure chest’ –

Not everyone is so protective of the restricted zone, with poachers tempted to plunder its healthy and plentiful fish supplies.

“It’s like an open treasure chest”, Decugis said.

Julia Toscano, co-manager of the reserve, regularly goes out on a boat between May and September to check the no-fishing zone.

She calls police if she notices anything suspicious. Soon, she hopes there will be cameras to make the job easier.

Many violations are carried out by tourists who go fishing unaware of the rules, but Toscano said this is “still poaching”.

Regular campaigns inform visitors of the regulations and explain why the rich fishing grounds are off-limits.

But it’s a growing challenge: the number of tourists has shot up over the last three years.

Many come on big pleasure boats, typically over 24 metres (79 feet) long.

The abundance of fish and colourful reefs also attract divers, who generate 500,000 euros ($516,000) in income each year for local diving clubs, according to Fabien Rozec, who runs the region’s marine life watchdog.

EU funds have allowed the clubs to get hold of eco-friendly buoys, so they no longer have to lower anchors on the fragile seabed.

Even pleasure boats have grown more cautious over the years, Rozec said, anchoring on patches of sand rather than underwater flora.

Scientists warn that we need to drastically — and urgently — rethink our relationship with the natural world

Delegates from nearly 200 countries meet in Montreal next week to hammer out a new global biodiversity deal to protect ecosystems and species from further human destruction.

The meeting follows crucial climate change talks in Egypt in November, where leaders failed to forge any breakthroughs on scaling down fossil fuels and slashing planet-warming emissions.

Observers are hoping the COP15 biodiversity talks in Montreal will deliver a landmark deal to protect nature and reverse the damage humans have done to forests, wetlands, waterways and the millions of species that live in them. 

Around 50 percent of the global economy is dependent on nature, but scientists warn that humanity needs to drastically — and urgently — rethink its relationship with the natural world as fears of a sixth era of mass extinction grow.

“Our planet is in crisis,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), at a briefing ahead of the talks, adding that a global agreement on biodiversity was “crucial to ensure that the future of humankind on planet Earth is sustained”. 

So far, humanity has proven woeful at this.   

The so-called post-2020 biodiversity framework, delayed by two years because of the pandemic, will map out an official plan for nature until mid-century for most countries, with the exception of the United States, which has not signed up. 

It will include key targets to be met by 2030. 

But it comes after countries failed to meet a single one of the targets set for the previous decade. 

With new rules affecting key economic sectors — including agriculture, forestry and fishing — and covering everything from intellectual property to pollution and pesticides, delegates are grappling with an array of sticking points.   

So far, only two out of the 22 targets in the new deal have been agreed upon.

“We have to admit that success is not guaranteed,” an EU source close to the talks said. “We have a very difficult situation ahead of us.”

– Finance fight – 

While China currently chairs COP15, it is not hosting this year’s meeting because of the ongoing pandemic. 

Instead, it will be held from December 7 to 19 in Montreal, home of the CBD, which oversees the negotiations. 

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the only world leader attending. Chinese President Xi Jinping has not said he will join, and neither side has invited other leaders to come, with time quickly running out. 

Observers fear the leaders’ absence sucks the momentum out of the negotiations and could scupper an ambitious final deal. 

Divisions have already emerged on the key issue of financing, with wealthy countries under pressure to funnel more money to developing nations for conservation.

A group of developing nations, including Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia, this year called for rich countries to provide at least $100 billion annually –- rising to $700 billion a year by 2030 — for biodiversity. 

But many Western nations are reluctant to create a distinct fund for nature.

Currently, most biodiversity funds for the developing world come from existing funding mechanisms, which often also include climate finance.   

Another fight is brewing over the issue of “biopiracy”, with many mainly African countries accusing wealthy nations of pillaging the natural world for ingredients and formulas used in cosmetics and medicines, without sharing the benefits with the communities from which they came. 

– Indigenous rights – 

One cornerstone target that has received broad support is the 30 by 30 target — a pledge to protect 30 percent of land and seas by 2030. Only 17 percent of land and about seven percent of oceans were protected in 2020.

So far, more than 100 countries formally support the goal, according to the EU-backed High Ambition Coalition which tracks the target.

The new goal will rely heavily on the involvement of indigenous peoples, who steward land that is home to around 80 percent of Earth’s remaining biodiversity, according to a landmark UN report on climate change impacts this year.

“It’s not going to work if indigenous peoples are not fully included,” Jennifer Tauli Corpuz of the non-profit Nia Tero told AFP. 

“We completely lose the integrity of the document”, added Corpuz, who is part of the indigenous caucus to the talks. 

Other items in the framework: elimination or redirection of hundreds of millions of dollars in harmful government subsidies; promoting sustainable farming and fishing, reducing pesticides; tackling invasive species and reforestation.

But implementation is perhaps the most crucial agenda item to ensure the pledges made are actually carried out by governments.  

“We need goals and targets that are measurable and they need to be related to clear indicators,” the EU source said, calling for “robust monitoring, planning, reporting and review”. 

Ghevar Ram, a member of India's Bishnoi community, bottle feeds milk to a fawn at an animal rescue centre in Khejarli

Surrounded by deer and antelopes, Ghevar Ram caressed an injured fawn at a rescue centre run by India’s Bishnoi community, who have been fighting to protect the environment for more than 500 years.

Ram, a member of the Hindu sect, has devoted his life to animals, bringing those in distress to the centre and taking care of them until they are fit enough to be released back into the wild.

“I treat animals like my own children. This is what we are taught since our childhood,” Ram, 45, told AFP as he bottle-fed the fawn ahead of the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal next week.

The Bishnois are India’s original eco-warriors, willing to sacrifice themselves to protect animals and trees.

The sect, established in the 15th century by Guru Jambheshwar and which now claims about 1.5 million members, believes in the sanctity of all life, shunning meat and avoiding felling living trees.

Spread mostly in hamlets across Rajasthan, the community draws inspiration from Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman killed in 1730 while trying to protect a khejari — now the state tree.

According to legend, a local king in the desert state sent his men to cut wood to fuel cement lime kilns to build his palace.

Devi rushed out of her home in a Bishnoi village to block them, clasping a tree trunk to protect it.

“Despite her pleas, the men did not stop. She then hugged a tree, but the king’s men showed no mercy and chopped down the tree along with her head,” said Sukhdev Godara, a retired schoolteacher, his eyes glistening with emotion.

Her last words were recorded as: “A chopped head is cheaper than a felled tree.”

Other Bishnoi villagers — beginning with Devi’s three daughters — followed suit, hugging the trees as they were decapitated.

In all, 363 Bishnoi men, women, and children were killed, their sacrifice now commemorated with a monument in the village inscribed with each of their names and topped with a statue of Amrita Devi.

– ‘In harmony with nature’ –

The martyr is now a hero for the likes of Sita Devi, who fuels her cooking fire with cow dung cakes rather than firewood to feed her strictly vegetarian family.

A mother of seven, she also once breastfed an orphaned antelope fawn.

“I was working in the fields when I saw a fawn being attacked by feral dogs. I rescued the fawn and brought it home,” she said, dressed in a traditional long pink skirt and sparkling gold jewellery.

“I fed the fawn my own milk, and once he regained strength, I released it in the wild,” she recalled with pride.

Although a subsect of Hinduism, the Bishnoi do not cremate their dead because that would mean cutting down trees to fuel the fire.

“Our guru taught us to bury our dead instead,” said schoolteacher Godara.

Bishnoi men are mostly farmers and patrol the land to make sure no animal is harmed or hunted down.

Advocate Rampal Bhawad co-founded the Bishnoi Tiger Force, an environmental campaign group and anti-poaching vigilante organisation, after Bollywood superstar Salman Khan shot dead two black bucks while filming a movie in Rajasthan in 1998.

The community followed the case assiduously for 20 years until Khan was sentenced to five years in jail by a local court for violating the Wildlife Protection Act.

The penalty was later suspended on appeal, but not before Khan had spent several days in prison.

“We file police complaints and pursue cases till the guilty are punished,” Bhawad told AFP. 

In a world fighting the insidious effects of climate change, he said, “we should plant more and more trees.

“We should live in harmony with nature and be kind towards all living beings.”

French President Emmanuel Macron complained about US industrial subsidies on the first day of a state visit to Washington

France’s President Emmanuel Macron fired a volley at his American hosts on the first day of a rare state visit to Washington, telling lawmakers Wednesday that US industrial subsidies are “super aggressive” against French competitors.

“This is super aggressive for our business people,” an AFP reporter heard Macron tell members of Congress and business leaders, who had invited him to lunch ahead of the main part of the state visit on Thursday, when the French leader will spend most of the day with President Joe Biden.

Macron was referring to Biden’s signature policy called the Inflation Reduction Act, which is set to pour billions of dollars into environmentally friendly industries — with strong backing for US-based manufacturers.

The White House touts the IRA legislation as a groundbreaking effort to reignite US manufacturing and promote renewable technologies, but European Union governments are crying foul, threatening to launch a trade war by subsidizing their own green economy sector.

Macron’s blunt assessment, saying he just wanted “to be respected as a good friend,” tore some of the veneer off a carefully choreographed state visit intended to celebrate historic US-French ties — and also tackle the trickier parts of the US-EU transatlantic alliance.

“I don’t want to become a market to sell American products because I have exactly the same products as you,” said Macron, stressing that France had its own middle class in need of employment.

“And the consequence of the IRA is that you will perhaps fix your issue but you will increase my problem. I’m sorry to be so straightforward,” he said.

The White House responded by insisting that the state visit is about the two presidents’ “warm relationship.”

US advances in the clean energy economy will help Europeans too, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. The IRA “presents significant opportunities for European firms as well as benefits to EU energy security. This is not a zero sum game.”

In a speech later at the French embassy, Macron insisted on the subsidies issue and said they could become a real sticking point in US relations with Europe.

While voicing support for the environmental goals of the IRA, Macron said, “These are choices that will split the West.”

Still, Macron said US-French ties remain solid, calling on both countries to heed “the bonds that history has forged between us, an alliance stronger than anything.” 

– Frenchman on the Moon? –

Earlier, Macron joined Vice President Kamala Harris at NASA headquarters in Washington to discuss cooperation in space — and to propose the first Frenchman on the Moon.

Macron highlighted the American lunar program Artemis, whose first uncrewed test mission launched in mid-November with participation of the European Space Agency (ESA), and said “we are very keen” to join.

“It’s very important for us, as long as you can propose a French leader to fly to the Moon quite rapidly,” he told Harris, in a nod to French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who also attended the NASA visit.

Macron’s busy schedule, which included a working lunch to discuss biodiversity and clean energy, and a visit to the historic Arlington National Cemetery, illustrated the ambitions set for the trip — the first formal state visit by a foreign leader to Washington since Biden took office nearly two years ago.

The core of the visit will be Thursday, including a White House military honor guard, Oval Office talks with Biden, a joint press conference and a banquet where Grammy-award-winning American musician Jon Batiste will perform.

The White House showed off the menu for the big dinner, which will start with butter poached Maine lobster, paired with caviar, “delicata squash raviolo” and tarragon sauce.

The main course features beef and triple cooked butter potatoes, before heading into the cheese course of award winning US brands, and finally orange chiffon cake, roasted pears with citrus sauce, and creme fraiche ice cream.

Washing all that down will be three different American wines.

– EU-US tensions –

Trade tensions, however, are only part of the uncomfortable flip side to the red carpet occasion.

Another gripe in Europe is the high cost of US liquid natural gas exports — which have surged to help compensate for canceled Russian deliveries.

There is also divergence on how to deal with the rise of superpower China. 

The question — with Washington pursuing a more hawkish tone and EU powers trying to find a middle ground — is unlikely to see much progress.

Aerial view of the landslide that hit highway BR 367 in southern Brazil, sweeping away some 20 vehicles and leaving at least two people dead and dozens missing.

At least two people were killed and dozens more are missing after a landslide ripped across a section of highway in southern Brazil, sweeping some 20 cars and trucks along with it, authorities said Wednesday.

The torrent of mud came rushing down a steep hillside Monday after days of heavy rain in the state of Parana, hitting highway BR 367, officials said.

“It’s hard to know the exact number of victims. A vehicle could have one to five people inside. We’re working with an estimate of 30 to 50 people missing,” local emergency response chief Manoel Vasco told a news conference.

Aerial images released by the emergency services showed a massive smear of mud that swept away everything in its path — including a chunk of highway and the vehicles on it.

Rescue workers said the bad weather and remote location were complicating the search effort.

They are using drones with heat-detecting cameras in hopes of finding survivors.

“Fifty-four firefighters have been working non-stop for more than 35 hours,” the Parana state security authority said in a statement later Wednesday, noting as well concerns over further landslides.  

Two bodies have been found so far, and six survivors have been located, including the mayor of the coastal town of Guaratuba, the nearest city.

“It was horrible. The mountain just fell on top of us. It swept away every last car. We’re only alive by the grace of God,” the mayor, Roberto Justus, said in a video posted on social media.

Brazil is frequently hit by deadly landslides.

The national weather service INMET has issued heavy rain warnings for multiple states. 

At least one other person died Wednesday after a section of road was washed out, sweeping away the victim’s car, in the northeastern state of Segipe, Brazilian media reported.

In February, more than 200 people were killed in a series of landslides in the picturesque southeastern tourist town of Petropolis.

French President Emmanuel Macron complained about US industrial subsidies on the first day of a state visit to Washington

France’s President Emmanuel Macron fired a volley at his American hosts on the first day of a rare state visit to Washington, telling lawmakers Wednesday that US industrial subsidies are “super aggressive” against French competitors.

“This is super aggressive for our business people,” an AFP reporter heard Macron tell members of Congress and business leaders, who had invited him to lunch ahead of the main part of the state visit on Thursday, when the French leader will spend most of the day with President Joe Biden.

Macron was referring to Biden’s signature policy called the Inflation Reduction Act, which is set to pour billions of dollars into environmentally friendly industries — with strong backing for US-based manufacturers.

The White House touts the IRA legislation as a groundbreaking effort to reignite US manufacturing and promote renewable technologies, but European Union governments are crying foul, threatening to launch a trade war by subsidizing their own green economy sector.

Macron’s blunt assessment, saying he just wanted “to be respected as a good friend,” tore some of the veneer off a carefully choreographed state visit intended to celebrate historic US-French ties — and also tackle the trickier parts of the US-EU transatlantic alliance.

“I don’t want to become a market to sell American products because I have exactly the same products as you,” said Macron, stressing that France had its own middle class in need of employment.

“And the consequence of the IRA is that you will perhaps fix your issue but you will increase my problem. I’m sorry to be so straightforward,” he said.

The White House responded by insisting that the state visit is about the two presidents’ “warm relationship.”

US advances in the clean energy economy will help Europeans too, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. The IRA “presents significant opportunities for European firms as well as benefits to EU energy security. This is not a zero sum game.”

– Frenchman on the Moon? –

Earlier, Macron joined Vice President Kamala Harris at NASA headquarters in Washington to discuss cooperation in space — and to propose the first Frenchman on the Moon.

Macron highlighted the American lunar program Artemis, whose first uncrewed test mission launched in mid-November with participation of the European Space Agency (ESA), and said “we are very keen” to join.

“It’s very important for us, as long as you can propose a French leader to fly to the Moon quite rapidly,” he told Harris, in a nod to French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who also attended the NASA visit.

Macron’s busy schedule, which included a working lunch to discuss biodiversity and clean energy, and a visit to the historic Arlington National Cemetery, illustrated the ambitions set for the trip — the first formal state visit by a foreign leader to Washington since Biden took office nearly two years ago.

The core of the visit will be Thursday, including a White House military honor guard, Oval Office talks with Biden, a joint press conference and a banquet where Grammy-award-winning American musician Jon Batiste will perform.

The White House showed off the menu for the big dinner, which will start with butter poached Maine lobster, paired with caviar, “delicata squash raviolo” and tarragon sauce.

The main course features beef and triple cooked butter potatoes, before heading into the cheese course of award winning US brands, and finally orange chiffon cake, roasted pears with citrus sauce, and creme fraiche ice cream.

Washing all that down will be three different American wines.

– EU-US tensions –

Trade tensions, however, are only part of the uncomfortable flip side to the red carpet occasion.

Another gripe in Europe is the high cost of US liquid natural gas exports — which have surged to help compensate for canceled Russian deliveries.

There is also divergence on how to deal with the rise of superpower China. The question — with Washington pursuing a more hawkish tone and EU powers trying to find a middle ground — is unlikely to see much progress.

“Europe has since 2018 its own, unique strategy for relations with China,” tweeted French embassy spokesman Pascal Confavreux in Washington.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said China will be “very high on the agenda” this week but stressed that both countries share a broad approach.

“We believe that not only France, but every other member of the G7 — frankly, our NATO allies too — see the threats and challenges posed by China in the same way.”

Aerial view of the landslide that hit highway BR 367 in southern Brazil, sweeping away some 20 vehicles and leaving at least two people dead and dozens missing.

At least two people were killed and dozens more are missing after a landslide ravaged a section of highway in southern Brazil, sweeping some 20 cars and trucks along with it, authorities said Wednesday.

The torrent of mud came rushing down a steep hillside Monday after days of heavy rain in the state of Parana, hitting highway BR 367, officials said.

“It’s hard to know the exact number of victims. A vehicle could have one to five people inside. We’re working with an estimate of 30 to 50 people missing,” local emergency response chief Manoel Vasco told a news conference.

Aerial images released by the emergency services showed a massive splotch of brown mud that swept away everything in its path — including a large chunk of highway and the vehicles on it.

Rescue workers said the bad weather and remote location were complicating the search effort.

They are using drones with heat-detecting cameras in hopes of finding survivors.

Two bodies have been found so far, and six survivors have been located, including the mayor of the coastal town of Guaratuba, the nearest city.

“It was horrible. The mountain just fell on top of us. It swept away every last car. We’re only alive by the grace of God,” the mayor, Roberto Justus, said in a video posted on social media.

Brazil is frequently hit by deadly landslides.

In February, more than 200 people were killed in a series of landslides in the picturesque southeastern tourist town of Petropolis.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with US Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration headquarters in Washington on November 30, 2022

Paris and Washington pledged Wednesday to reenforce their cooperation in space, particularly on exploration and climate, during a visit by France’s Emmanuel Macron to NASA headquarters alongside US Vice President Kamala Harris.

The French president, on a state visit to the United States, highlighted the American lunar program Artemis, whose first uncrewed test mission launched in mid-November with participation of the European Space Agency (ESA).

“We are very keen” to participate, he told Harris, adding with a smile: “It’s very important for us, as long as you can propose a French leader to fly to the Moon quite rapidly,” he said, in a nod to French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who joined Macron for the NASA visit.

The two ally nations are also collaborating on the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope, whose initial images have already shaken up our understandings of the universe.

On the climate front, Macron mentioned the scheduled December 12 liftoff of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a NASA satellite developed in partnership with France’s CNES which aims to monitor the levels of oceans, lakes and rivers.

“We are so very proud to work with France,” Harris, who chairs the White House’s National Space Council, said, noting how the two countries have partnered on space exploration for more than 60 years.

“In this time, we have made great strides and yet in so many ways we are beginning a new journey together,” she said.

When she visited Paris last year, the deputy to President Joe Biden joined Macron to “launch a strategic dialogue on space,” the French leader recalled.

With Macron suggesting that outer space could become a point of international contention, he and Harris stressed the importance of developing new norms of conduct in space.

France in June joined the Artemis accords promoted by the United States — a series of principles governing conduct in deep space by different nations. The policies are aimed at deconfliction of activities, implementation of safety zones, registration of space objects and coordination on emergency assistance.

On Tuesday France also pledged not to conduct anti-satellite missile tests, which cause space debris that can then threaten orbiting spacecraft and satellites. The United States made the pledge earlier this year.

French President Emmanuel Macron complained about US industrial subsidies during a lunch on the first day of his state visit

France’s President Emmanuel Macron fired an undiplomatic volley at his American hosts on the first day of a rare state visit to Washington, telling lawmakers Wednesday that US industrial subsidies are “super aggressive” against French competitors.

“This is super aggressive for our business people,” an AFP reporter heard Macron tell members of Congress and business leaders, who had invited him to lunch ahead of the main part of the state visit on Thursday, when the French leader will spend most of the day with President Joe Biden.

Macron was referring to Biden’s signature policy called the Inflation Reduction Act, which is set to pour billions of dollars into environmentally friendly industries — with strong backing for US-based manufacturers.

The White House touts the IRA legislation as a groundbreaking effort to reignite US manufacturing and promote renewable technologies, but European Union governments are crying foul, threatening to launch a trade war by subsidizing their own green economy sector.

Macron’s blunt assessment, saying he just wanted “to be respected as a good friend,” tore some of the veneer off a carefully choreographed state visit intended to celebrate historic US-French ties — and also tackle the trickier parts of the US-EU transatlantic alliance.

Macron warned that the United States championing its own industry under the IRA will “kill a lot of jobs” in Europe and it may “perhaps fix your issue but you will increase my problem.”

– Space talk –

Earlier, Macron joined Vice President Kamala Harris at the NASA facility in Washington to discuss cooperation in space.

“France is a vital ally to the United States and this visit demonstrates the strength of our partnership, our friendship…, one that is based on shared democratic principles and values,” Harris told Macron.

Macron stayed in the high-tech sphere later with a meeting on civilian nuclear energy. His busy schedule, which also included a working lunch to discuss biodiversity and clean energy, and a visit to the historic Arlington National Cemetery, illustrated the ambitions set for the trip — the first formal state visit by a foreign leader to Washington since Biden took office nearly two years ago.

The core of the visit will be on Thursday, including a White House military honor guard, Oval Office talks with Biden, a joint press conference and a banquet where Grammy-award-winning American musician Jon Batiste will perform.

– EU-US tensions –

Trade tensions, however, are only part of the uncomfortable flip side to the red carpet occasion.

Another gripe in Europe is the high cost of US liquid natural gas exports — which have surged to help compensate for canceled Russian deliveries.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the US side wants to defuse tensions, promising “transparent, forthright” discussions.

“We certainly will stay open to listening” to the EU concerns, he said.

There is also divergence on how to deal with the rise of superpower China. The question — with Washington pursuing a more hawkish tone and EU powers trying to find a middle ground — is unlikely to see much progress.

“Europe has since 2018 its own, unique strategy for relations with China,” tweeted French embassy spokesman Pascal Confavreux in Washington.

Kirby said China will be “very high on the agenda” this week but stressed that both countries share a broad approach.

“We believe that not only France, but every other member of the G7 — frankly, our NATO allies too — see the threats and challenges posed by China in the same way.”

The breadth of Macron’s entourage — including the foreign, defense and finance ministers, as well as business leaders and astronauts — illustrates the importance Paris has put on the visit.

At the White House, however, a senior official said the main goal of the state visit is to nurture the “personal relationship, the alliance relationship” with France — and between Biden and Macron.