While emissions have fallen since the 1990s, recent data show that reductions in emissions have unfortunately slowed in early 2025.
France’s greenhouse gas emissions are shaped by a complex mix of political, technical, media, and public opinion forces. The government’s climate policy is guided by the 2019 Energy and Climate Act, which sets a legal target of carbon neutrality by 2050. The Ministry of Ecological Transition, currently led by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, oversees this transition with a dual focus on reducing fossil fuel dependence and expanding both nuclear and renewable energy. While emissions have fallen since the 1990s, recent data show that reductions in emissions have unfortunately slowed in early 2025. Political debate is sharp with the far-right National Rally opposing some climate measures, such as restrictions on combustion-engine vehicles and new wind farms, framing them as “punitive ecology.”
France’s technical capacity to measure and reduce emissions is relatively strong. The independent body CITEPA (Centre Interprofessional Technique d’Études de la Pollution Atmosphérique) produces detailed emission inventories, and the High Council on Climate assesses progress and offers policy recommendations. France benefits from a low-carbon electricity mix due to its large nuclear fleet, while renewables like wind and solar are growing but still need to accelerate to meet 2030 targets. In 2023, the country had roughly 23.5 GW of installed wind capacity and 20 GW of solar power, and continues to expand offshore wind projects.
Media coverage shapes how the public perceives climate policy. French media often highlight tensions between environmental protection and economic or lifestyle impacts, for example, in debates over wind turbines or transport restrictions. Disinformation, including misleading claims about renewable energy and electric vehicles, has been reported across social media and mainstream outlets.
Public opinion is generally supportive of climate action: around 80–90% of French citizens express concern about climate change, and over 80% view renewable energy positively, with even stronger support among residents living near renewable sites. However, political divides remain, with younger and left-leaning voters showing stronger support for ambitious climate policies than older or more conservative voters.
France could accelerate greenhouse-gas reductions through several targeted steps. Political leaders can focus on the sectors that emit the most. One priority is the building sector, which still accounts for about 18 % of national emissions. Expanding the “MaPrimeRénov’” subsidy and making deep energy-efficiency upgrades mandatory for poorly insulated homes by 2030 would deliver rapid progress. Transport, which is France’s largest source of emissions, also needs faster change. The government could move up the deadline for phasing out new combustion-engine cars to before 2035 and expand low-emission zones in major cities. At the same time, it could complete the phase-out of fossil-fuel heating by enforcing a ban on oil-fired boilers by 2030 and supporting the switch to heat pumps.
France’s technical and energy sectors also have a role to play. Approvals for new wind and solar farms often take years, so streamlining the permitting process would allow projects to be built more quickly. Investments in the electricity grid and in storage technologies such as batteries and pumped hydro would make it easier to integrate more renewable power and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Finally, the media and civil society organizations can help sustain public support. Clear and consistent communication about the benefits of home insulation, electric vehicles, and renewable energy can reduce resistance to new policies. Partnerships with fact-checking groups can counter misinformation that persists about climate measures, helping build the trust needed for more ambitious action.
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard France Country Manager, Camille Huret.
Edited by Diana Gastelum.