France to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030

Since the beginning of industrialization, greenhouse gases that threaten the world and the ozone layer are showing their effects with more severe and extreme weather events. On the other hand, countries aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with long-term plans. Finally, France announced that with its new plan, it will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

France will reduce emissions

The roadmap, announced by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, includes detailed figures on reductions for each sector of the economy, from the transport sector to households. Goals such as accelerating the transition to electric cars or shifting freight from roads to rivers aim to align France’s carbon pollution reduction targets with the EU’s 2030 targets.

France, which has so far reduced its emissions by 25 percent compared to 1990 levels, needs to make great efforts to reach the new 50 percent target. The so-called “yellow vests” protest in France in 2018 came after Macron’s fuel hikes aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, France seems to shy away from costly initiatives for citizens and consumers.

“We want a little bit from the smallest polluters and a lot from the biggest,” a Borne deputy told reporters. France said about half of the efforts it will spend to achieve its goals will be for companies, a quarter for households and a quarter for local governments.

France, like other countries in the world, is experiencing increasing drought, heat and water shortages. Acknowledging the extent of the planet’s environmental problems, Macron promised to put climate change at the center of his second term, which began in May last year. In this context, France is preparing to become the first major country to abandon fossil fuels.

Major economies in transformation

Among other developed countries, the UK has the most ambitious short-term targets of any major economy, with emissions by 2030 68 percent below 1990 levels. The United States has committed to reducing greenhouse gases 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, while Germany has set a 65 percent reduction target compared to 1990.

To stay within the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C global warming limit, the world must reduce emissions by 43 percent this decade, the UN’s climate science panel said. China and India have set long-term goals to become carbon neutral by 2060 and 2070, respectively.