Climate Plan 2004
After extensive inter-ministerial discussions, the plan was postponed five times and finally adopted in 2004. The goal of the Climate Plan 2004 was to reinforce the National Programme for Tackling Climate Change and to implement a pragmatic set of tools to respect France’s Kyoto commitments. In particular, the Plan aimed to contribute to achieving the following targets:
• reduce by 75% the level of emissions in 2050
• cut 72m tonnes of CO2 emissions annually until 2010
The Plan envisaged the 2005 “French National Allocation Plan 2005–2007” (Implementation of the 2003 European Directive creating an EU Emissions Trading Scheme). The scope of the French NAP has been enlarged to installations of other sectors not mentioned in the European Directive (chemicals, agro-food, services), adding more than 700 installations. The new entrants reserve has increased to 5.69mt.
Most of the Climate Plan energy supply side-measures rest on the 2005 Framework law on Energy.
• Tax exemption for solar energy installations (40% in 2005, 50% in 2006).
• The Finance Law 2005 includes the creation of a tax exemption that aims to support the integration of energy efficient equipment, materials and devices in private homes. This provision is to be applied from 2005 to 2009 with 40% tax relief on equipment producing renewable energy.
• April 2005: Air conditioners must have energy label
• Finance Law 2006: Tax or malus on the registration document acquired for the purchase of cars producing more than 200g CO2/km
• Increase of tax relief for clean vehicles (from EUR1,525 (USD1,914) to EUR2,000 (USD2,510)
• May 2006: Energy Label for new cars made mandatory (transposition of EU directive of 1999)
• Biofuel Plan: objective 5.75% share of Biofuels in 2010 (transposition of the Biofuel European Directive), development of a network of biofuel stations
• Tax reliefs for organic farmers introduced
• Extension of Company Mobility Plans. This is a set of measures that incites and helps companies to improve professional transportation plans, reducing the use of individual cars
• Acceleration of the construction of new High Speed railways
The Climate Plan applies across various ministries, which turn it into more detailed sectoral plans, after which different tools and regulations are developed and implemented. Elaboration of voluntary regional plans and subsidies for renewable energy (Alsace and Rhône-Alpes). Support of local administrations (regions, departments) to develop their own policies and regulations (urban planning, CO2 quantification etc.).
The Plan Climat 2004 mandates ONERC to prepare a strategy for national adaptation to climate change and to lead a certain number of projects in this field. The plan is monitored by an inter-ministerial mission on GHGs.
