This is encouraging news. This Wednesday, the Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, declared that greenhouse gas emissions fell by 5.3% in France in the first quarter.
« All sectors are falling (and) it shows that there is a dynamic that is underway “, after the 5.8% drop that was recorded over the whole of 2023, he judged on France Bleu.
Over the months of January, February and March 2024, France emitted a total of 101 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2e), the ministry said in a press release. These provisional figures are only gross emissions, not taking into account the absorption of CO2 by forests and soils, the main carbon sinks whose quality is deteriorating due to the already visible effects of global warming and activities human. Furthermore, the emissions counted include activities on the territory but not those linked to imports.
Sharp drop in energy emissions
To note : ” all sectors are declining: energy thanks to the increase in hydroelectricity production and thanks to nuclear power, but also transport which was the area in which we had the most difficulty », welcomed the minister.
In detail by sector, it is energy that contributes the most to decarbonization, “ with a drop in emissions of 16.8%, or -2 Mt CO2e, due to the acceleration of carbon-free electricity production », According to the ministry.
Buildings (-7.1%) and industry (-5.6%) are also in decline, driven on the one hand by the drop in heating emissions (-7.8%) due to ” an overall milder quarter than last year and the continuation of sobriety behaviors » and on the other hand by the efforts of sectors such as the agri-food industry (-9.3%) or construction (-7.6%).
Transport, the leading emitting sector, remains on a lesser decline (-3%) but in line with that already observed last year, “ with both a decrease for road transport (-3.1%) driven by the observed drop in emissions associated with diesel vehicles and French air transport (-2.8%) ».
Encouraging data…
« This is proof that some of the measures we have taken are working », deduced the minister a few days before the first round of the legislative elections. “ But it is also the fruit of the efforts of the French because (…) ecology has entered people’s heads in quotation marks » and we cannot “ let people think that the measures we are taking would be to annoy the French ».
« Because what bothers them (…) are the floods, the drought, the consequences of climate change. We will not be able to impose a moratorium on climate change. », insisted Christophe Béchu, in reference to certain proposals from parties opposing the presidential majority.
This announcement comes, moreover, a few days after other news bringing hope. The High Council for the Climate which published its sixth annual report, “ concludes for the first time that the objective [de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, ndlr] of 2030 is accessible », Revealed, during a press conference on June 20, Corinne Le Quéré, the first president of this independent institution which serves as a benchmark for evaluating the government’s action in this area. “France experienced, for the first time in 2023 (excluding the Covid crisis), a rate of decline in its greenhouse gas emissions whose magnitude – if it is maintained in the years to come – is consistent with a decarbonization trajectory to achieve its objectives for 2030″, details the report.
As a reminder, France must align with the European objective of -55% emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. It had also failed to respect its first carbon budget (2015-2018) and had revised its ambitions downward in 2019.
Slippage in the legislative calendar: the High Council for the Climate sounds the alarm
…but still efforts to be made
France is moving towards its objective, therefore, but to achieve it, the High Council recalls that it must consolidate and continue current efforts, strengthen structural actions, preserve the absorption capacities of forest carbon sinks and, last but not least, , set a clear course. Gold ” there is a real risk of a decline in climate action “, Corinne Le Quéré confided to The gallery on June 20.
« Neither the energy and climate programming law, nor the French energy and climate strategy, nor the 3rd National Low Carbon Strategy, nor the 3rd National Plan for adaptation to climate change, nor the 3rd Multi-annual Energy Program [PPE, ndlr] have not been formally adopted, despite legislative obligations », summarizes the High Council for the Climate in its latest report. “ The renewal of these framework documents is now urgent to maintain the structure of the national policy for reducing emissions and adapting to climate change. », insist the experts in the thick document, expressing their “ serious concern about these delays which weaken the credibility of France’s climate policy ».
Climate objectives threatened by a victory for the National Rally?
In this context, the legislative elections raise fears of a decline in climate efforts initiated by France. “I have very strong concerns. This electoral campaign has only one central issue: the potential arrival of the far right to power in France. If this happens, among all the risks identified, a complete step backwards on all ecological issues is now possible… », explained this Wednesday, to The gallery, François Gemenne, political scientist and co-author of the sixth IPCC report.
Legislative: “The RN in power is a total step backwards on ecology in France” (François Gemenne, IPCC)
“In the program of the National Rally (RN), we find measures such as: little ambition on renewable energies, end of the ban on renting movable property which has a poor energy diagnosis, absence of electrification plan of the vehicle fleet, etc. Ultimately, the RN takes us back to the age of fossil and polluting energies. Its only ecological measure that is somewhat reasonable is food localism, but it is totally insufficient”he added.
(With AFP)
