[1][2][3][4] In 2015, the European Union, including France as a member state, under the Paris Agreement, committed to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990 levels by 2030.
Grande-Synthe, a small coastal city in northern France particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, claims that the French government fails to take sufficient measures to lower greenhouse gas emissions in order inter alia to comply with the Paris Agreement, presenting its case to the Conseil d'État beginning in 2020.
On the substance of the case, the court observed that despite the country’s commitment to reducing emissions as outlined in the Paris Agreement, France in the years since has consistently exceeded its self-imposed carbon budgets.
On May 15th 2023, the Conseil d’État found that its decision had not been sufficiently enforced, noting: “The High Council on Climate (HCC) considered that there is a proven risk that the 2030 reduction target will not be met.
The HCC thus stressed that there is a significant risk that the targets set for 2030 will not be met.” [6] The claimants asked the Conseil d’État for a fine of €50 million per six-month period of non-compliance.