REUTERS/Thomas Samson/Pool
Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, reacts during his visit to the headquarters of the KRYS group in Bazainville, France, April 18, 2017.
Emmanuel Macron won the French presidential election May 7, and since his victory, a video his campaign posted in February has been making the rounds on American social media.The Facebook video is addressed to American climate scientists who feel alienated by the Trump administration. Looking straight into the camera, speaking English, Macron tells American "researchers, entrepreneurs, [and] engineers working on climate change" that they have a home in his country.
"I do know how your new president now has decided to jeopardize your budget, your initiatives, and he is extremely skeptical about climate change," he said. "I have no doubt about climate change."
Macron went on to promise robust funding for climate initiatives.
In Europe, as a general rule, climate change is less of a political issue, with few major political parties arguing against established science.
Macron's opponent in the second round of the election, the far-right candidate Marinne Le Pen, was a bit of an exception to this rule. Le Pen opposed various environmental initiatives and did not acknowledge outright that humans are the primary cause of climate change.
Macron defeated Le Pen 66% to 34%.
You can watch Marcon's appeal to American scientists below.