Climate change mitigation - Drivers and pressures (France)

State of greenhouse gas emissions in France

In 2008, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the European Union (EU) totalled 4 940 million tonnes equivalent CO₂ (Mteq CO₂). Four countries are responsible for more than 53 % of these emissions: Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and France. France is ranked fourth, with 10.7 % of all emissions. With 527 million tonnes equivalent CO₂ emitted, or 8.2 teq CO₂ per inhabitant, France is one of the industrial countries emitting the lowest levels of GHG per inhabitant.

Greenhouse gas emissions for the 20 largest emitters in the European Union in 2008

(Source: CITEPA, EEA, June 2010)

Changes in greenhouse gas emissions

In France in 2008, aggregate emissions of the six GHG were 6.4 % below their 1990 levels. Emissions of the EU-15 fell by 6.5 % over the same period. All sectors contributed to these reductions, except that of transport, for which emissions increased considerably in France and Europe throughout the period.

Within the context of its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, France has a target of stabilising GHG emissions for the period 2008-2012 compared with 1990.

Aggregate emissions of 6 greenhouse gases: France and Europe of 15

Source: SOeS according to UNFCCC Inventory, June 2010 – European Environment Agency.

Changes in greenhouse gas emissions by sector of activity

It is possible to compare emissions of GHG relative to each activity (transport, industry, farming, etc.) in terms of the overall warming power of the different gases (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄, HFC, PFC, SF₆).

In 2007, 71 % of France’s GHG emissions came from the use of fossil fuels; the remaining 29 % were the result of agriculture (excluding energy combustion), waste processing, industrial processes and the use of fluorinated gases and solvents.

With almost 27 % of GHG emissions in 2007, transport is the main polluting activity, followed by agriculture and the manufacturing industry (20 % each), the residential-tertiary sector (18 %), the energy industry (14 %) and waste processing (2 %).

Emissions of transport GHG increased by 19 % between 1990 and 2007, with a slight decrease (around -1 % a year) observed since 2005. In this sector, road transport accounts for the lion’s share, producing 94 % of CO₂ emissions by transport. It is also worth noting that biofuels have increased significantly over the past three years, reaching 2.5 million tonnes equivalent petrol (Mtep) in 2008, or around 5 % of all fuels, compared with less than 1 % in 2005.

The residential-tertiary sector saw its GHG emissions increase by 6 % between 1990 and 2007. Energy combustion represents 92 % of the sector’s emissions, with a fall of 1.4 % between 1990 and 2007. But this change is strongly linked to meteorological conditions, which directly affect heating requirements. The remaining 8 % are chiefly linked to fluorinated gases, the growing use of which explains the sharp increase for the sector.

The most significant reduction in GHG emissions for the period 1990-2007 comes from the manufacturing industry (-26 %). Emissions linked to energy combustion in industry, which represent almost three-quarters of the sector’s entire GHG emissions, fell by 12 % over the period in question. Major efforts to save energy, combined with an increase in the use of gas and electricity to the detriment of coal and petrol, brought about this significant fall. Industrial processes make up the second largest source of GHG emissions. Their level was halved between 1990 and 2007.

Among the energy industries, the generation of electricity and heat by classic power stations accounts for almost 72 % of GHG emissions. This component fluctuates from year to year, depending on the climatic conditions, although the trend is stable and actually represents an extra contribution in addition to nuclear and hydraulic generation.

Changes in greenhouse gas emissions by sector in France between 1990 and 2007

Note: The percentages given in brackets correspond to the changes in emissions between 1990 and 2007. Scope: Mainland France and overseas, excluding LULUCF.

Source: Citepa, UNFCCC format, December 2008.