French policies to combat climate change

France has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve its climate objectives, France has adopted a planning tool: the national low-carbon strategy, the second version of which is currently in force (SNBC 2 adopted in April 2020). The SNBC aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and reduce France's carbon footprint. SNBC 3, currently being drawn up, will have to raise reduction targets to reflect the European climate ambitions defined by the "Fit for 55" legislative package. As part of this project, France has set the target of reducing its GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2030, compared with 1990³.

The SNBC sets binding short and medium term targets-carbon budgets, set by decree- and provides long-term sectoral strategic guidelines. The SNBC 2 set the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th carbon budgets covering the periods 2019-2023, 2024-2028 and 2029-2033, in line with France's climate ambitions at the time⁴.

The SNBC's guidelines have been translated into legislation covering all GHG-emitting sectors (Energy and Climate Law in 2019, Mobility Orientation Law in 2019, Law to combat climate disruption and strengthen resilience to its effects in 2021, Law to accelerate the production of renewable energies in 2023, Law on green industry in 2023, etc.).

In parallel with the SNBC, a multi-annual energy program (PPE), which notably sets ambitions for reducing energy consumption and developing decarbonized means of energy production, is in force for the period 2019-2028. The Government is currently working on the PPE 3 (2025-2035).

³ https://commission.europa.eu/publications/france-final-updated-necp-2021-2030-submitted-2024_en
⁴ Reduce France's gross greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared with 1990, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 (see decree no. 2020-457 of April 21, 2020).

National carbon budgets

In Mt CO₂ eq

Average annual emissions	1st carbon budget 2015-2018 SNBC 1	2nd carbon budget 2019-2023 SNBC 2 (adjusted)*	3rd carbon budget 2024-2028		4th carbon budget 2029-2033
			SNBC 2	SNBC 3 (provisional)**	SNBC 2	SNBC 3 (provisional)**
Total excluding LULUCF	442	425	359	333	300	255

*Each year, emissions inventories are revised to take account of methodological improvements. These annual revisions require adjustments to carbon budgets based on the 2018 inventory methodology. The data here are adjusted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition as part of its monitoring of the SNBC in June 2025(https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/documents/20260616-Ajustement_BC-2019-2023_vF_0.pdf).
**As of July 2025, when this article was written, the SBNC has not been definitively approved by the Government, but the first orientations, major issues and provisional carbon budgets are the subject of an online provisional report(https://concertation-strategie-energie-climat.gouv.fr/les-grands-enjeux-de-la-snbc-3).
Sources: SBNC 1: Decree No. 2015-1491 of November 18, 2021; SNBC 2: Decree No. 2020-457 of April 21, 2020, and technical adjustments of June 2025; SNBC 3 (provisional): Draft National Low-Carbon Strategy No. 3 - Initial broad guidelines for 2030 and challenges for 2050, Ministry of Ecological Transition, November 2024.

Comparison of emissions with the 2019-2023 carbon budget

In Mt CO₂ eq

	2nd carbon budget SNBC n°2*(annual average 2019-2023)	Realized emissions (annual average 2019-2023)	Carbon budget balance (total 2019-2023)**
Transport	129	127	-11
Residential and services building use and activities	78	70	-42
Agriculture/forestry	81	79	-9
Manufacturing industry and construction	75	72	-11
Energy industry	48	42	-29
Centralized waste processing	14	16	10
LULUCF (Land use, land-use change and forestry)	-45	-36	43
Total excluding LULUCF	425	406	-91
Total with LULUCF	380	370	-48

*Each year, emissions inventories are revised to take account of methodological improvements. These annual revisions require adjustments to carbon budgets based on the 2018 inventory methodology. The data here are adjusted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition as part of its monitoring of the SNBC in June 2025 (https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/documents/20260616-Ajustement_BC-2019-2023_vF_0.pdf).
**The closing of the carbon budget makes it possible to determine the balance (positive or negative) recorded over the period between the defined and adjusted cap and actual emissions. The closing of the 2019-2023 carbon budget is available online (https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/suivi-strategie-nationale-bas-carbone#cloture-des-budgets-carbone-2).
Sources: decree no. 2020-457 of April 21, 2020 and technical adjustments of June 2025; inventory in Secten format, Citepa, June 2025

Comparing France's emissions with the carbon budget for the period in question is a key indicator for monitoring the implementation of the SNBC. These carbon budgets are established either for total gross national emissions (excluding LULUCF), or for total net national emissions (including LULUCF), or broken down by economic sector or gaseous substance. The year 2023 marked the end of France's second carbon budget. The emissions recorded for the period 2019-2023 can therefore be compared with the budget for the same period set by decree when the SNBC 2 was adopted, then adjusted to take account of methodological changes in emissions inventories since the carbon budget was adopted in absolute terms.

The total carbon budget of the SNBC 2 for the period 2019-2023 in gross terms, i.e. excluding LULUCF, has been respected: average annual emissions amounted to 406 Mt CO₂ eq/year, below the forecast carbon budget of 425 Mt CO₂ eq/year on average. The lower emissions, estimated at 91 Mt CO₂ eq accumulated over the period 2019-2023, make up for the failure to meet the first 2015-2018 carbon budget (+61 Mt CO₂ eq). The emissions estimated at 436 Mt CO₂ eq in 2019 have decreased, reaching 396 Mt CO₂ eq in 2020, 420 Mt CO₂ eq in 2021, 403 Mt CO₂ eq in 2022 and 376 Mt CO₂ eq in 2023. The period covers the health crisis episodes linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, which helped to reduce emissions. With the exception of the centralized waste proccessing sector, all sectors have average annual emissions below the sectoral carbon budget.

The LULUCF sector is a net carbon sink, absorbing more CO₂ than it emits. Between 2019 and 2023, these absorptions are estimated to average 36 Mt CO₂ eq/year. Given the decline in the storage capacity of the forest sink, due in particular to drought and sanitary infections, the absorption target set by the carbon budget at 45 Mt CO₂ eq/year on average has not been reached. The cumulative excess emissions represent 43 Mt CO₂ eq. Given the significant reductions observed in other sectors, the total carbon budget of the SNBC 2 for the period 2019-2023 on a net basis, i.e. LULUCF included, has been respected with a margin of 48 Mt CO₂ eq cumulative.

Climate investments in France

Source: I4CE, Landscape of climate finance, 2025 edition

102 billion euros of climate-related investments were recorded in 2024, according to I4CE's Landscape of climate finance. After several years of increase (+35% between 2020 and 2023), they decreased by 5.2% in 2024. This decline affects decarbonization of industry (-31%), buildings (-13% for new buildings and -12% for renovation), renewable energies (-8%) and low-carbon vehicles (-2.6%). Since 2011, climate investments have risen by 65%, particularly in energy-efficient building renovation (+50%), modal shift infrastructure and equipment (+81%) and low-carbon vehicles (multiplied by 49).

Climate investments in France by sector in 2024

Source: I4CE, Landscape of climate finance, 2025 edition

The Landscape of climate finance covers three sectors: buildings, transport and energy production. In 2024, France spent 21 billion euros on the energy performance of new buildings and 21 billion euros on energy‑efficient building renovation. Transport comes next, with 20 billion euros allocated to infrastructure and modal shift equipment, and 15 billion to low-carbon vehicles. The investment in renewable energies reached 14 billion euros, while nearly 7 billion euros were allocated to the development and extension of nuclear power plants. Finally, 4 billion euros were invested in electricity grids.

Readers interested in this topic can find further information on the I4CE website www.i4ce.org.