France’s Climate Bill brings low-emission zones and short flights ban

After three weeks of debate, French deputies of the Assemblée Nationale have adopted the Climate and Resilience Bill (Loi Climat). The seven titles and 218 articles, which still have to go through the Senate, will act on a broad spectrum. That includes mobility with mandatory low-emission zones by 2025, possible voluntary regional ‘ecotaxes’, the end of fossil fuel trucks by 2040, and the ban of short flights when direct alternative train routes exist.

Deputies of the Assemblée National have been on the Climate and Resilience Bill for quite a while. Their aim is to introduce the general bill to act on many aspects of day-to-day life to make them more eco-friendly, from publicity to housing, justice, agriculture, and mobility, to name but a few.

Low-emission zones and regional taxes

In the field of mobility, the Climate and Resilience Bill includes the possibility for regions to introduce an ecotax on road freight transport voluntarily. On the same matter, there’s also the aim to end the sales of fossil fuel trucks by 2040. Before that, 2030 should see the end of any fiscal advantages on freight transport using diesel.

France is also taking a step forward to spreading low-emission zones (LEZ). The new bill states that by 2025, there should be a mandatory introduction of LEZ in any city with more than 150 000 inhabitants. Private car owners will also be affected by strengthened emission limits and the ban of more polluting cars by 2030.

Internal flights

Continuing on the decision taken with Air France, the subject of scrapping some internal flights divided the assembly. While the first proposition from 150 citizens aimed at banning any flights when there is a 4h train journey alternative, the French deputies opted for a shorter travel time.

As it stands, all internal flights should be canceled when there is an alternative train route that takes less than two and a half hours. For some, this isn’t ambitious enough. According to the High Council for Climate, this measure will only affect eight flight connections for 10% of the passenger transport traffic.

 

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