The executive notably confirmed that 1.6 billion euros will be invested in the renovation of housing in 2024.
Transport, buildings, biodiversity… The day after the presentation of the broad outlines of its ecological planning policy to the parties, the government detailed before the National Refoundation Council, Tuesday September 19, the distribution of “10 billion euros” which must be used to finance it.
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These 10 billion actually correspond to commitment authorizations. Concretely, this means that the State “is authorized to incur 10 billion euros in spending over the coming years, including after 2024”, deciphers for franceinfo Damien Demailly, deputy director general of the Institute of Economics for the Climate (I4CE). Seven billion of these expenses will come from the state budget for the year 2024, as Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne had already announced in July.
More than two billion for agriculture and biodiversity
In detail, the government plans to invest 2.3 billion euros in favor of agriculture and biodiversity: 500 million euros should be devoted to forest reforestation, 500 million to the “water plan”, 500 million subsidies paid to farmers so that they can carry out diagnostics of their carbon footprint and replant hedges, 400 million for the preservation of biodiversity, 300 million for a phytosanitary plan aiming to reduce dependence on pesticides, and 100 million in support of the plant protein producer sector.
Regarding buildings, the government confirms the additional envelope of 1.6 billion euros for the renovation of housing announced by Elisabeth Borne in July, in addition to 600 million euros to renovate buildings owned by the State. An envelope of 1.8 billion will be dedicated to energy production: 800 million in aid to the biogas industry, produced for example from methanization plants, 700 million in support for the hydrogen sector, in addition to 300 million euros to support various projects in overseas territories. The industry will also benefit from 1.8 billion euros, including 1.5 billion in credits released as part of the France 2030 plan and 300 million euros devoted to “other projects” in favor of decarbonization, according to the government.
On the transport side, the envelope is 1.6 billion euros: 1.4 will be dedicated to rail, river and maritime infrastructure and 200 million to promote the replacement of the thermal vehicle fleet with light electric vehicles.
Finally, communities will benefit from dedicated funding. On the one hand, an additional 500 million euros will be released as part of the “green funds”, which make it possible to invest money in each territory as part of calls for projects. On the other hand, 300 million euros in grants will be allocated directly to communities to finance investments considered “green”.
Details expected Monday
The associations promise to closely monitor the progress of these investments. “The poorest households (…) are those which pollute the least, but also those which are most impacted by pollution” and that “are the least equipped to face this transition”, reacted Noam Leandri, president of the Alerte collective, which brings together 34 associations fighting against poverty. He calls for measures “much more concrete” in favor of the most deprived.
This effort is “unpublished”, nevertheless salutes Damien Demailly, from the I4CE institute. However, “a long-term vision will be necessary to extend efforts in subsequent years”. According to a report produced by France Stratégie, 65 billion euros of investments will be necessary each year between now and 2030 to finance the ecological transition. Half of this sum must come from the State and communities. Emmanuel Macron must raise the subject on Monday September 25 on the subject, before the presentation, two days later in the Council of Ministers, of the draft budget for 2024.