Environmental groups are striving to keep climate change at the forefront of public and political attention as the new school year begins and the presidential debate approaches. They are concerned that as temperatures cool, the urgency of the issue might be forgotten, a phenomenon they call "ecological amnesia." On Tuesday, September 15, a coalition of organizations, including Greenpeace, the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), agricultural unions, student groups, and various social and environmental collectives, gathered in front of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. They demanded increased government funding to address the growing impacts of climate change, such as measures to combat the use of thermal boilers and expand resources for fire prevention in the upcoming budget. The coalition includes a wide range of stakeholders, from environmentalists and farmers to healthcare workers and social justice advocates. They argue that the cost of ignoring climate change is far greater than the investment needed for a necessary social and ecological transition. Recent data highlights the severity of the issue: the summer of 2026 was the hottest on record in France, with three intense heatwaves in June, July, and August, and temperatures reaching 40°C as late as September. This extreme heat has led to at least 7,300 excess deaths this summer, underscoring the life-threatening nature of the crisis. Environmental groups are also trying to transform public anxiety and anger into political action, especially as the new school year begins. According to an Ipsos survey, 89% of French citizens have experienced the effects of heatwaves, with 55% reporting significant personal impact. While awareness of climate change has increased—rising 14 percentage points since June—it has slightly decreased by August. Activists stress that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a political one, urging the rejection of budget cuts such as reductions to the Green Fund and weakened environmental regulations in agriculture. The environmental movement aims to ensure that climate change remains central to the upcoming presidential debates, particularly in a political climate where the far right could gain influence. The groups are building a broad-based movement that includes not only traditional environmental activists but also firefighters, nurses, students, and organizations like Emmaus, Action Against Hunger, and Les morts de la rue. Activists like Gabriel Mazzolini from Friends of the Earth note that this year's mobilization has seen the involvement of "new categories of people," and the movement has grown more naturally than in previous years. The demonstrations in Paris are just the beginning, with planned actions across France, including a march for an agricultural transition in La Rochelle on September 19 and a nationwide demonstration on September 26, focusing on climate, life, peace, and social justice.