France became the first European country to ban short-haul domestic flights in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From now on, citizens of the country will have to travel the distances that take 2 and a half hours by rail, using high-speed trains instead of planes.As a first step, the country will close flights from Paris-Orly Airport to Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux. It will now be possible to reach these places from the capital only by land. The European Commission has stated that France may implement its plan to ban short-haul flights when there is a reasonable rail alternative.
“A big step forward”
If rail links improve, three more routes could be added, between Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport and Lyon and Rennes, and between Lyon and Marseille. The ban will remain in effect for three years, after which the European Commission will review the results.
French Transport Minister Clément Beaune described the plan as a “big step forward” in the country’s policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while environmental NGOs say it’s a “small step” but taken in the right direction.
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