La France insoumise (LFI), a French political party, has proposed a new initiative known as "ecological conscription" as part of its plan to tackle environmental challenges. The idea involves creating a "regional civil security guard" made up of people under 25, who would be required to serve for nine months and be paid the minimum wage. During this time, they would receive training to respond to extreme events like floods or large wildfires. Participants might also join general interest associations. The program would include health checks, assessments of basic math and reading skills, and driver’s license training. LFI emphasizes that individuals who object on moral or ethical grounds would still be allowed to opt out. This proposal is not entirely new. During the 2022 presidential election, LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon had previously suggested a similar "citizen conscription" with comparable features. In a 2020 blog post, Mélenchon described an "inverted volunteer" system, where participation would be the default unless someone explicitly refused. The idea is to ensure broad public involvement in addressing environmental risks. However, the use of the word "conscription" has sparked debate. Some academics and activists are worried that it might lead to the militarization of civil security. Adrien Estève, a professor at Clermont-Auvergne University, points out that the term implies a compulsory system with a military structure. He notes that in recent years, military forces have increasingly been used to respond to natural disasters. For example, during Storm Alex in 2020, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment was deployed, and this summer, 1,500 soldiers were used to fight wildfires in the Southwest. Estève identifies two key goals of the ecological conscription: making civil security more inclusive by involving more citizens instead of relying solely on experts, and strengthening local communities through associations and local leaders. However, some activists, like Vincent Rissier from Permanent Revolution, are cautious. They argue that the proposal might support existing trends of militarization and could weaken grassroots efforts. Rissier criticizes the military elements, suggesting they might reduce the impact of local solidarity initiatives. Feminist researchers Louise Arimatsu and Christine Chinkin have also expressed concerns. They argue that framing environmental disasters as "security threats" justifies the involvement of police and military forces, while sidelining other responses from civil society and women's groups. They believe that environmental crises highlight the connections between gender, military power, and capitalist structures. Hadrien Clouet, an LFI deputy, disagrees with the idea of militarization. He prefers centralized coordination and the involvement of the state in civil security. He argues that today's societal challenges require adapting to new environmental realities, which is different from the traditional focus on national defense through military service, which was abolished in 1997.