The France continues a 4.3% decline in greenhouse gas emissions in the first half of 2023, thanks to reductions in the industry, power generation and construction sector while aviation continues its post-Covid rebound, Cipeta announced on Tuesday.
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Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continued to fall in the first half of 2023, with a decrease of 4.3% compared to the first half of 2022 (excluding carbon sinks)", according to the pre-estimates of the body mandated to carry out the inventory of French carbon pollution. In the first quarter alone, the decline was also 4.3% compared to 2022, says Cipepa, which revised upwards its initial estimate of 4.2%. Observed since 2018, "the general trend of decreasing emissions continues," says Citepa.
Between 2022 and 2021, the decline in emissions was 2.7% year-on-year. But to meet the objectives of the France, a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 1990, it is necessary to "go twice as fast", had reaffirmed at the end of September President Emmanuel Macron. Over the first half of 2023, "three sectors contribute the most to this decline", notes Cipepa: "industry (-10%), energy production (-8%) and buildings (-7%)".
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For buildings, the decline in heating emissions was very strong at the end of 2022, with the effect of the rise in energy prices" and "at the beginning of 2023, this effect continues" despite a more rigorous end of winter, announces Citepa. Emissions caused by "residential heating (...) fell by 8%, with a decrease in natural gas consumption" in the first half of the year. On the industrial side, the sector "must also have been strongly impacted by the energy crisis", with ferrous metallurgy emissions falling by 22% over the period. As for energy, the decline is fuelled by carbon-free electricity production: this has reduced its emissions by 15%, thanks in particular to "a 2.6% increase in nuclear production", taking into account the gradual return to service of reactors "and a lower production of thermal power plants (-17%)".
Road transport, after two years of post-Covid rebound, is back on the downward path, with a decline of 1.5% in the first half of the year. "In contrast, the post-crisis rebound in air transport is still continuing, with a 25% increase in domestic flight emissions in the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022; and a 34% increase for international flights," says Citepa.
