Policy Architecture for Green Transition
France developed comprehensive frameworks for environmental transformation:
National Low-Carbon Strategy
The Stratégie Nationale Bas-Carbone (SNBC) plots the path to carbon neutrality: - 40% emission reduction by 2030 (from 1990) - Net zero emissions by 2050 - Sectoral carbon budgets legally binding - Regular revision incorporating latest science - €100 billion public investment planned
Energy Transition Law
Legal frameworks drive transformation: - Renewable energy targets (40% of electricity by 2030) - Building efficiency standards progressively tightening - Fossil fuel phase-out timelines - Circular economy obligations - Environmental taxation escalating
European Green Deal Integration
EU policies amplify French efforts: - Emissions Trading System covering industry - Carbon Border Adjustment protecting competitiveness - Taxonomy defining green investments - Just Transition Fund supporting affected regions - Recovery funds prioritizing green projects
Yet implementation faces resistance. The Gilets Jaunes movement, sparked by carbon tax increases, revealed tensions between environmental ambition and social acceptance.