- In their second report on France's climate policies, published this Wednesday, the thirteen experts from the High Council for the Climate remain very critical, pointing out "a lack of structural changes" in the sectors that emit the most CO2.
- "There is no overall climate coherence in government action," criticizes Anne Bringault, of the Climate Action Network. And no desire to confront the most polluting industries, adds Clément Sénéchal, of Greenpeace.
- The recovery plan which is being prepared to help the French economy to recover from the health crisis is an opportunity to change gear, point both the High Council and the NGOs, stressing the essential issue of "eco-conditionalities"
"Severe but fair", summarizes Anne Bringault, responsible for "energy transition" at the Climate Action Network (RAC) about the second report of the High Council for Climate (HCC), published this Wednesday.
At the same time, this is the mission entrusted to the thirteen experts who make up this body launched in November 2018 by Emmanuel Macron: to take an independent look at France's climate policies. Already last year, for its first copy, this body deemed the actions taken by the government against global warming "insufficient". This time around, she certainly notes "progress in governance and an increase in announcements" on climate issues, "but no structural progress as to the rate of decline in emissions".
No structural changes in key sectors
Anne Bringault is not surprised. "The analysis of the High Council is based in particular on the figures produced by Citepa (Technical Interprofessional Center for Air Pollution Studies), responsible for making an inventory each year of French greenhouse gas emissions, recalls she. The inventory for 2019 - before the health crisis, therefore - fell in mid-June and shows very clearly that we are not at all on a trajectory that would achieve carbon neutrality. "France's emissions decreased by 0.9% in 2019, which is similar to previous years and far from the -3% expected from 2025," points out the new report from the High Council for Climate. "
Transport, agriculture, construction, industry, etc. In these four sectors, which emit a lot of greenhouse gases, "the rate of decline in emissions is too low and structural transformations are not under way", points out the HCC. "Even the temporary drop in CO2 emissions resulting from confinement (around -13% between January and May) does not meet the challenges of the low-carbon transition and remains marginal compared to the structural efforts to be accomplished," continue the thirteen experts.
"Get out of this idea that ecology is consensual"
Clearly, to achieve this reduction of 3% of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 2025 and be in the nails of the Paris Climate Agreement, we will have to change software. "This already implies that the action of the government, as a whole, is oriented towards a transformation compatible with this course of carbon neutrality that France has set for 2050, begins Anne Bringault. This is not the case today. An example: in response to the first report of the HCC, the government undertook that each minister would draw up a roadmap detailing how, in his field, the policies he will undertake to achieve this carbon neutrality. We are still waiting for these roadmaps. "
The recent reshuffle does not bode well for Clément Sénéchal, spokesperson for “climate policies” at Greenpeace France. "Emmanuel Macron has appointed a Prime Minister who is not known for his climate commitments," he notes, fearing that "ecology remains an annex to general policy". Yet this is another condition for achieving this “software change” for Clément Sénéchal: “We have to get out of this idea that ecological transition is first of all a story of individual behavior. No, the state must set a course, make choices, accept confrontation with firmly established interests in the current economy, he underlines. Since the Paris Agreement, no government has seen fit to go to economic confrontation with the most polluting industrialists, to compel big companies to have results in terms of lower greenhouse gas emissions, even though some have a carbon footprint larger than that of the national territory. "
A raise that shuffles the cards?
The end of the health crisis is an opportunity to make significant choices. The High Council for the Climate thus sees in the recovery plan which is being prepared "an essential issue for the months to come" and "the real measure of the attention paid to the climate" by the new government. "Now is the time to play," says Clément Sénéchal. The balance of power has been renewed between public action and the private sector since the latter today needs public money. "
Large sums are on the table. Fifteen billion euros, notably for the aviation sector, 8 for the automotive sector. "But without firm conditionalities concerning their evolution towards a trajectory compatible with the climatic objectives", deplores the HCC. "In exchange for this public money, the government does not explicitly require companies in the automotive sector to produce more electric vehicles," illustrates Anne Bringault. Likewise, it is not asking the airline industry to prepare for a drop in traffic. And we are only talking about removing the domestic airlines for which there is an alternative by train of 2h30 or less. We have to go much further. There is also no questioning of airport extension projects. "
The televised interview with Emmanuel Macron on July 14, where he must specify the society he wishes to emerge after the coronavirus crisis, followed a few days later by the general policy speech of his new Prime Minister, could be the opportunity to correct. The RAC awaits not only firmer “eco-conditionalities” in exchange for the public money distributed, but also strong announcements on fourteen proposals from the Citizen Convention for the climate which it deems very structuring. "A massive investment plan in the railways for example or the obligation of overall energy renovation of housing", details Anne Bringault who regrets that we have mostly heard, until now, Emmanuel Macron and his government on the measures these 150 citizens whom they did not retain.
Before the July 14 speech, the amending finance bill
Clément Sénéchal, too, points to “eco-conditionalities” as the crucial issue of this recovery plan but does not intend to wait until July 14 to get an idea of the ambition of the new government. “The amending finance bill (PLFR3) is currently being discussed in the National Assembly,” he recalls. In this context, while she was still a Member of Parliament, Barbara Pompilli proposed an amendment, prepared with the NGOs of the RAC, precisely to ask for strong eco-conditionalities for the companies which will receive public aid. The idea was to force them to lower their emissions next year. "
Yes to the eco-conditionality of aid!
Companies that receive state aid must be accountable in return: on employment, commitments for #climate and # biodiversity.
With colleagues, we defend amendments to this effect # PLFR3 @franceinfo pic.twitter.com/L4WPNOZ8fP
This amendment was rejected by the finance committee, "then replaced by another, devoid of any climatic ambition, for consideration in public session", denounces Greenpeace. “What will Barbara Pompili do?” Asks Clément Sénéchal. Will it take up the position it defended in its initial amendment? Will it seek to convince the government? "Response by Friday in the hemicycle, said the spokesman for the NGO.
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