Two years after a landmark court order mandated France to adhere to its climate commitments and rectify ecological damage, the French government has escaped a proposed €1.1 billion fine. Environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Oxfam, had pushed for penalties against President Emmanuel Macron’s administration for failing to meet emission reduction targets.
However, the Paris administrative court ruled on Friday that the state had taken measures to address the issue.
Despite 2021 and 2022 showing some gaps in emission reductions, the court noted that these were counterbalanced by a significant emission drop in early 2023. The court dismissed arguments that the emission reductions were primarily due to external factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war.
Environmental groups plan to appeal the decision, expressing determination to ensure the government upholds its climate obligations. Greenpeace France’s Jean-François Julliard criticized the government’s efforts as insufficient and occasionally detrimental to climate goals.
France’s climate strategy focuses on expanding nuclear energy use, with plans to build six new reactors over the next decade. The government is also working on phasing out coal energy, investing in railways, and promoting voluntary sector-specific conservation efforts.
