- CO 2 on course
In 2012, national greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 490 million tonnes equivalent CO 2 , according to the Ministry of Ecology, a decrease of 12% compared to 1990, the base year for commitments under the Protocol Kyoto. France has thus traveled more than half of the path that must lead Europe to a 20% decline in 2020.
The Department states that, per capita, the decrease is 26% between 1990 and 2012, while the French population increased 12% over the same period. He sees the fruit of “all mitigation measures, including the improvement of industrial processes, reinforced insulation of buildings, renewable energy …”
However, the carbon footprint of French, which takes into account the emissions generated abroad during the production and transportation of goods and services imported into France, continues to grow. In 2010, it accounted for 733 million tons of equivalent CO 2 , up 11% compared to 1990.
In addition, the latest global statistics Global Carbon Project published in September 2014 and on the only CO 2 (not on all greenhouse gases, which are also part methane and nitrous oxide), reveal that emissions of France are slightly rising again in 2013. They reached 344 million tonnes, against 341 million in 2012. In Europe, France is the fourth-largest emitters of CO 2 behind Germany (759 million tonnes), the UK (462) and Italy (353), and ahead of Poland (312) and Spain (240).
- A delay on renewable energy targets
The Hexagon is – much – better in terms of renewable energy. In 2013, their share in final energy consumption was 14.2%, mainly from wood-energy and hydropower. It is, says the Ministry of Ecology, up 5 points from 2005. But France is still far from the target of 23% in 2020.
“Despite his strong will and favorable context for the development of renewable energy, France is falling behind “, is worried the Renewable Energy Association (SER). It is estimated that at the current rate, the share of green industries “could not rise to 17%” at the end of the decade. So we have to redouble our efforts to hope to achieve new objectives, ambitious, determined by law on the energy transition, which provide 32% renewable energy in the energy mix in 2030.
According to the latest figures from the Observatory of renewable energy Observ’ER, within the Europe class, France is now displayed only average, far away scores of Sweden (52.4% of renewable energy in 2012), Latvia (34.9%), Finland (34.4%), Austria (31.9%), Estonia (27.8%), Denmark (26, 3%) and Portugal (24.7%). Globally, renewable resources accounted end of 2012, over 26% of energy capacity.
- air quality to improve
France does not meet the WHO annual limits for PM 2.5 particles (10 mg / m 3 ), the more dangerous because penetrating deeper into the lungs, nor those of ozone (100 mg / m 3 on up to 8 hours). According to a study by the Institute for Public Health in 2012 on nine French cities, representing 12 million people, compliance with concentration standards for PM 2.5 could prevent 2,900 premature deaths a year.
- Poor water quality
Farmland, France fails to restrict its appetite for inputs, fertilizers such as pesticides. On the contrary, the last note tracking Ecophyto plan to encourage more efficient practices, indicates a 5% increase in plant protection products between 2009-2011 and 2011-2013. It shows even in 2013, agriculture used 9.2% more than the previous year.
The results were so disappointing that the Prime Minister had given in 2014 to the member (PS , Meurthe-et-Moselle) Dominique Potier a mission of reflection on how to “give new momentum” to a policy based solely on the virtuous examples and the willingness of farmers. This gave in November 2014, its report to the government. He hardly has binding measures either. In the countryside, particularly in the wine-growing areas, local residents are concerned about their health.
Meanwhile a possible new package does not produce substantial effects, the water of rivers and groundwater continues to post record levels of nitrates, produced mainly by excess nitrogen fertilizers. This phenomenon dope algal blooms, especially on the coast invaded by Ulva tides and forced him to abandon drinking water catchments.
In Brussels, the European Commission is angry. She asked the Court of Justice of the European Union that threatens France with heavy financial penalties if it does not muscle its action plan to improve the quality of its waters and if it continues not to respect the European Nitrates Directive. The Minister for Ecology Ségolène Royal battle now to accept the profession that 70% of agricultural land are classified as “vulnerable zones”, which is to be imposing more stringent agronomic practices. In Europe, Germany, Greece, Poland are also within the scope of a first action for failure to nitrates issues, such as Spain is under the protection of the water.
Does The France will provide the means to rectify the situation before undergoing European condemnation? Responsible for monitoring the field to improve the quality of groundwater and rivers, water agencies have protested in December against the “exceptional” puncture of government budgets of 175 million euros per year. .. 2015, 2016 and 2017
& gt;. & gt; Read: Pollution with nitrates: France again condemned by the European justice
- D es fleet Fishing on the spot
On the international scene, the French fishing is often criticized by associations for the protection of the oceans. It is certainly less than the Spanish chain, whose fleets are out in force around the globe, but it is unusual to persist to continue the controversial practice of trawling in deep waters. This fishery, very minor, is regularly defended by successive French governments from the European Commission, as it had announced in 2012 his wish to delete two years later.
In November 2014, the European Council of Ministers for Fisheries decided to grant new fishing quotas in deep water, to the chagrin of NGOs. In December, when setting this time the tonnage authorizations for all species fished in the Atlantic, France and Spain were pleased to have scored higher tonnages that proposed by the European Commission. Or it already advance higher catch rates than those advocated by scientists to allow time to breed fish.
- A Biodiversity worth
The Biodiversity Act, announced in the first environmental conference in 2012 as one of three major environmental laws of five years, with the energy transition and mining code reform, has yet not been placed on the agenda of the National Assembly when it should have been adopted in 2013. Francois Hollande has just announced for spring 2015. The French agency for biodiversity, key measure of the law, only being prefigured.
If France has about twenty tools and statutes protecting natural areas, such as parks national (ten in number), regional parks (48), nature reserves (301) or Natura 2000 sites, remains that only 1.4% of the Earth’s metropolitan area is now “under strong protection,” according to Annual Statistical Report 2014 of the Department of Ecology. All types of land or sea protection, protected areas amounted to 17% of French territory, according to the UN fund data for the environment. So France is lagging behind compared to Germany (42%) and the UK (26%), but ahead of Italy (15%), the Netherlands (12%) or Spain (9%).
1048 globally threatened species present on its territory, France is also among the 10 countries most affected by the erosion of biodiversity (with Ecuador, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, China, India, Brazil and Australia), due to its presence in the overseas and the Mediterranean “hot spots” biodiversity.
- Environmental protection expenditure soaring
In 2012, 47.5 billion of euros were spent on environmental protection in France, a amount three times higher than in 1990. This amount comes to 40% of business , 28% of households and 32% of general government, according to the Annual Statistical Report 2014 of the Department of Ecology. Main funded sectors: waste management and wastewater treatment (62% of funding), far ahead of the air, the fight against noise, biodiversity, soil and water. France was placed in 2010, ranking fourth in the European Union for its spending on the environment reduced the number of inhabitants, behind the Austria Netherlands and Italy, and 5 th position to GDP – behind the Country out there, Malta, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg.
The budget of the Ministry of Ecology itself but undergoes a further erosion in 2015 , passing from 7.06 billion in 2014 to 6,650,000,000 euros (-5.8%). A decline which is accompanied by a loss of 515 positions
& gt;. & Gt; See also: 10 digits you did not know (maybe) on the environment in France
No comments:
Post a Comment