The Environmental Imperative

Climate change gave high-speed rail new relevance. A TGV journey from Paris to Marseille produces about 10 kg of CO2 per passenger; the same journey by air produces 100 kg. As France committed to carbon neutrality by 2050, the TGV became central to sustainable transportation planning.

New lines incorporated renewable energy from the beginning. Solar panels on station roofs, regenerative braking that returns energy to the grid, and careful routing to minimize ecological impact became standard. The TGV's electricity came increasingly from France's nuclear plants and renewable sources, making it one of the world's lowest-carbon transportation modes.