Alexandre Chauveau, edited by Ophélie Artaud 07:19, November 09, 2022

This Tuesday, the President of the Republic met the bosses of the most polluting French companies in the country.

With one objective: to encourage them to reduce their CO2 emissions.

For this, Emmanuel Macron promises an envelope of 10 billion euros... which could be doubled if the industrialists also double their efforts.

A carrot worth 5 billion euros is the envelope promised by Emmanuel Macron to manufacturers encouraged to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Thirty leaders were received yesterday at the Elysée.

Bosses at the head of the most polluting companies in the country.

Among them, Total, ArcelorMittal or even Lafarge... Companies which alone account for 10% of France's total emissions.

The President of the Republic is even ready to double the kitty, provided that the industrialists also redouble their efforts.

Hydrogen and carbon capture

Clearly, the envelope of 5 billion euros initially planned could increase to 10 billion in 2024. But only if these 50 sites accelerate their decarbonization.

Complex challenge for these structurally polluting industries, and which the executive wants to keep in France despite everything.

Companies face fierce competition from China or the United States, which are much less restrictive on these issues of greenhouse gas emissions.

Emmanuel Macron intends to rely for this on two technologies that he wants to see develop in France.

>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here

"We have the means, given our specificities, our historical choices in terms of research, the choices also of our major industrialists, to truly be the European, even world, leader in green industries, in these decarbonization industries. Among them, hydrogen and the capture of carbon with a view to its reuse", underlined the President of the Republic.

Hydrogen and carbon capture are at the heart of the executive's strategy to preserve France's climate, industry and sovereignty.

Emmanuel Macron refuses to point the finger at these manufacturers, but instead wants to support them in their ecological transition.