France’s top climate advisory body on Thursday called on the government to set out a precise roadmap for phasing out coal, oil and gas, warning that the country's "ambitious" climate targets will need clearer political backing and stronger implementation.
The High Council for the Climate (HCC) – an independent advisory body created in 2019 to assess government climate policy – on Thursday published its opinion on France’s updated climate strategy, known as the SNBC-3.
The strategy outlines how the country aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. It was presented in December and is still under public consultation.
“We have a trajectory that is ambitious, but our main concern is how it will be implemented,” HCC president Jean-François Soussana said.
The government's plan already includes a timetable to phase out fossil fuels in France – coal by 2030, oil by 2040-2045 and fossil gas by 2050.
But the HCC said those targets need stronger political backing and clearer detail.
“That timetable needs to be carried politically, it needs to be affirmed,” Soussana said. “We need visibility, political commitment and clarity on exit dates in each sector.”
He pointed to the planned end for combustion-engine cars as one example of how clear deadlines can help guide policy.
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Phase-out dates
Among 20 recommendations, the council called on the government to “set out a precise fossil fuel exit roadmap” with “specific modalities for each sector”.
Soussana also pointed to recent oil price volatility as a reason to move faster.
“We are right in the middle of an oil shock, and the recurrence of these shocks over time shows clearly that it is urgent to exit fossil fuels,” he said, referring to rising prices linked to the war in the Middle East.
The office of ecological transition minister Monique Barbut acknowledged the challenge.
“We are clearly aware of the implementation issue,” the minister’s office said, pointing to the recent presentation of an electrification plan. “We will try to take on board some of the HCC’s recommendations."
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Air traffic concerns
The HCC also raised concerns about aviation, calling on the government to “better contain the growth of air traffic” by 2030 and 2050.
It warned that the amount of biomass needed to produce sustainable aviation fuels, required to cut emissions from the sector, could create pressure on resources.
The minister’s office said it would endeavour to address some of the points raised by the council.
“In broad terms, yes, we will try to be more precise,” it said – adding that other policy texts, including the country’s multi-year energy plan, would also need to reflect the recommendations.
(with newswires)
