France
What's new
- Updated data for the Renewable electricity section
The objectives of the energy transition in France are defined by the Pluriannual Energy Programme (in French Programmation Pluriannuelle de l'Énergie (PPE)), introduced at the same time as the National Low Carbon Strategy (in French, Stratégie Nationale Bas Carbone (SNBC)) by the Law on the Energy Transition for Green Growth (in French, Loi de Transition Énergétique pour la Croissance Verte (LTECV)) in August 2015. The Energy and Climate Law (in French, Loi énergie-climat (LEC)), enacted in November 2019, has modified some of the targets adopted in the LTECV and should now be taken as a reference for the definition of targets in future PPEs.
The PPE focuses on indicators related to energy production and consumption. The SNBC, on the other hand, defines the objectives to be achieved by France relative to greenhouse gas emissions reductions. These two steering instruments must be compatible with each other. This means, in particular, that the emission reduction targets are a sine qua non condition for the objectives of the PPE. Both the PPE and the SNBC are intended to be revised every five years in order to adjust the targets to the results obtained in the previous period.
At the moment, the PPE defines the objectives for a ten-year period from 2026 to 2035, split into two five-year periods (2026-2030 and 2031-2035). Thus, quantitative targets are formulated for 2030 and 2035. In addition, sometimes two targets are provided for 2035, namely a high target and a low target.
The SNBC provides the long-term greenhouse gas emissions trajectory, i.e. the trajectory to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in accordance with what EU countries decided together in order to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. It also defines intermediate targets, called carbon budgets. A third version of the SNBC (SNBC3) is currently being drafted. It will update the carbon budgets for the periods 2024–2028 and 2029–2033 and set a carbon budget for the period 2034–2038.
A much more comprehensive monitoring of energy policy targets in France is available online (in French) on the Climate-Energy Observatory developed by Climate Action Network and CLER-Réseau pour la transition énergétique. The Barometer of the energy transition in France of the Franco-German Office for Energy Transition (OFATE/DFBEW) also provides additional information on the energy transition in France in German. Our aim here is also to make the monitoring of French energy policy accessible in German and English and to contribute to the development of a platform that brings together resources on energy policy and its progress in several countries. Any collaboration and mutual assistance is welcome.