Now that France is aware of the urgency of climate change and the collapse of biodiversity, and after setting ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the country is embarking on what is undoubtedly the most delicate phase of the environmental transition: practical implementation. French President Emmanuel Macron outlined its upcoming stages on Monday, September 25, following an environmental planning council meeting. The new body has been tasked with elaborating a comprehensive and coherent strategy to enable France to meet its international environmental commitments.
To achieve a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, France needs to do more in seven years than it has done in 33. This acceleration in the pace of decarbonization implies profound changes in the lives of the French. Whether one is talking about how people travel, live, produce, or consume, not to mention the need to protect and restore natural ecosystems, the scope of efforts required will be unprecedented.
Such planning was no easy job. Announcements have been postponed many times, casting doubt on the president's commitment to the environment after a disappointing first five years in office. Even if its development has been hectic, the plan has the merit of existing. France is one of the first countries to adopt a quantified roadmap destined to involve and empower all players in the environmental transition, from government to businesses and local authorities to households. This is a prerequisite for effective action.
The French leader is hailing an "ecology of progress" in the service of a transition capable of reconciling sovereignty, competitiveness, and social justice. Behind stimulating objectives such as the production of 1 million heat pumps, the reduction of France's reliance on fossil fuels, and the launch of 13 commuter rail systems based on the Paris RER, the aim is to support the French in this historic shift by protecting them without rushing into adaptations so that these are not experienced as unbearable constraints.
At a time when Germany, Britain and Sweden have been forced to soften their climate agendas by rolling back measures that the public has had difficulty accepting, Macron is trying to move forward without antagonizing. He is opting to incentivize rather than constrain to rally widespread support. Nevertheless, France risks achieving a slower transition and falling behind.
A precarious balance is emerging between a "cure" advocated by proponents of reduced growth and the climate denial espoused by the far right. The pursuit of industrial independence, which is inevitably a long-term process, must be compatible with the urgent need for decarbonization requiring short-term results. Monday's announcements will not lead to a much-needed change in France's economic organization. Economist Jean Pisani-Ferry, the author of a report on financing the environmental transition, warned earlier this year the process would be painful. By not wanting to upset the French today, there is a danger of subjecting them to a rude awakening tomorrow.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.