France reduced carbon emissions by 8.5%

France reduced carbon emissions by 8.5% shutterstock
Katerina Belousova

The reduction in emissions was partly due to the increase in electricity prices

France's Minister of Energy Transition, Agnes Pagnier-Runachet, said that in the 4th quarter of 2022, the country reduced emissions by 8.5%.

The independent association of climate experts Citepa also recorded a reduction in carbon emissions, but their pace is too low for the EU's climate goals, reports LesFrancais.press.

It is noted that in 2022, territorial emissions, that is, excluding emissions from imported products, decreased by approximately 2.5% compared to 2021 and reached 408 million tons.

The article emphasized that the reduction in emissions was partly due to the increase in electricity prices. However, it was possible to reduce emissions by:

  • 15% – households;
  • 8% – industry;
  • 8% – energy;
  • 2% – transport.

"After all, the French threw away 25% less than in 1990. This figure may seem sufficient, but the annual rate of emission reduction does not meet the average EU goal of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030," the article says.

It said France would resume the pace of emissions reductions set out in its National Low Carbon Strategy (SNBC). In 2020, the strategy was revised, increasing the number of maximum emissions from 399 million tons per year to 422 million tons.

Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in the European Union, emissions from energy and industry decreased by 1.2-1.6% in 2022 and reached 1.316-1.32 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global carbon emissions in 2022 increased to a new record value of 0.9%, that is, to more than 36.8 billion metric tons, which brings the world to a dangerous level of global warming.

Related
Automotive giant Mercedes-Benz postpones reaching net-zero emissions by ten years
Automotive giant Mercedes-Benz postpones reaching net-zero emissions by ten years

At the same time, the company will replace 10% of its aluminium needs with low-carbon metal

The EU Council wants to give oil and gas importers a one-year delay in reporting methane emissions
The EU Council wants to give oil and gas importers a one-year delay in reporting methane emissions

Methane is the second most destructive greenhouse gas, but energy risks are outweighing the Union’s environmental ambitions

EU industry demands revision of ETS reform to avoid factory closures
EU industry demands revision of ETS reform to avoid factory closures

The risks include rising energy costs and the closure of enterprises or their relocation outside the European Union

European Parliament wants to weaken transport decarbonisation target
European Parliament wants to weaken transport decarbonisation target

While the EU previously aimed to reach zero emissions from transport by 2035, the European Parliament now proposes making only an 87.5% reduction mandatory