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Climate
Alone, they represent 10 % of France’s greenhouse gas emissions. And half of industrial emissions. To present his industrial decarbonization plan, the President of the Republic invited on November 8 the managers of the 50 French industrial sites that emit the most greenhouse gases. The objective: to make commitments and plan action, explained the Head of State in a long speech.
In front of the heavyweights of metallurgy, chemistry, the glass or cement industry, the president set the objective of reducing by 10 MteqCO2 (Millions of tons equivalent CO2) emissions from the sector (the 50 sites present currently emitting 43 MteqCO2 every year). Its method: short- and medium-term planning by sector, by technology and by territory.
9 billion for hydrogen
Concretely, the industrial sectors are invited to present their roadmaps for the decarbonization of their activities within six months. In terms of technologies, hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration, two highly controversial technologies, are at the heart of its planning. The deployment of hydrogen will be financed to the tune of 9 billion euros and is supposed to avoid the emission of 6.5 MteqCO2 on large industrial sites, he said. And the same volume for heavy mobility.
Regarding carbon capture, the President felt that “ the multiannual energy program had to fully integrate it ». The government will have to present its plan on these technologies, which are far from being operational, within six months. A biomass strategy, including forest management, will also be finalized within six months, he promised.
“ We double the bet »
Finally, at the territorial level, the president wishes to carry out planning by industrial zone by the same deadline, focusing on the industrial-port zones of Dunkirk, Fos-sur-Mer and the Seine axis. The objective: to electrify the ports and connect them to the rail and river networks. To support the industry, an envelope of 5 billion euros is planned. And if the commitments are kept, “ we double the bet on both sides »i.e. 20 MteqCO2 savings for 10 billion euros invested, he concluded.
In 2021, France did not meet its targets for net greenhouse gas emissions. In question, the degradation of forest sinks but also an insufficient reduction in emissions from the industry sector. According to the Energy-Climate Observatory of the Climate Action Network, in 2021, emissions from the industrial sector amounted to 77.8 MteqCO2.2instead of 75 MteqCO2 set by the national low-carbon strategy. i.e. higher emissions of 5 %. Last June, the High Council for the Climate, counted on the elimination of 2.2 million additional tons per year by 2030.
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