Is France doing enough to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?
The answer is no for six young Portuguese who are attacking 33 states this Thursday, including France, in order to encourage them to do more.
The initiative of these teenagers is part of the approach of the environmental associations Greenpeace, Oxfam, the Foundation for Nature and Man of Nicolas Hulot and the NGO Notre affaires à tous, who have initiated proceedings against the State before the administrative court for failure to combat climate change.
Justice should rule in the fall.
To support this appeal, environmental associations have obtained the signature of more than 2 million citizens asking the government to step up the pace.
Pointed out, the state responded on June 23.
In an 18-page defense brief, the Director of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Ecology underlines that "Parliament has adopted three laws strengthening the State's obligations in the fight against climate change".
"We do have a lot of laws and France has signed treaties committing to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, but now is the time to act," said Cécilia Rinaudeau, general coordinator of Notre Affaire à tous.
Because today, we are behind in all areas: transport, agriculture, housing.
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The government is not making the same observation at all.
In terms of greenhouse gases, the year 2020 was reflected in "a significant reduction in emissions compared to 2017", according to the Ministry of Ecology, which also considers that the State is not solely responsible: "It is not able to prevent all emissions [...] on French territory" because "a substantial part of this pollution comes from the performance of industrial and agricultural activities, but also individual choices and decisions that cannot always be influenced ”.
