Today's Date:

In response to the world scientific community's warnings regarding the responsibility of human beings for global warming, the industrialized countries, at Kyoto in 1997, pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

In order to honour her own commitments by 2010, France is making the fight against climate change one of her core concerns and putting it at the heart of her policies at national, European and international level. Relevant efforts set in train by the government and consequent decisions include:

• launch of the Programme national de lutte contre le changement climatique (PNLCC) [national programme to combat climate change] which was officially adopted in January 2000;

• incorporation of the fight against climate change into France's action at local government level through the Schémas de service collectifs [public service development plans] and when State/regional planning contracts come up for renewal;

• authorization of Parliament to deposit the instruments ratifying the Kyoto Protocol as soon as the whole European process is ready in 2002 (Act of 10 July 2000 No. 2000-645)

• creation of a national watchdog to monitor the effects of global warming;

• creation by the Ministry for Research of a Research Council on climate change and sustainable development;

• decision to produce an annual PNLCC progress report, to be published and discussed, which has been implemented at the end of its first year (...).

2000: France's adherence to her commitments under the Climate Convention and Kyoto Protocol

In 2000, greenhouse gas emissions (provisional data supplied by the "Citepa" technical centre for air pollution studies) were slightly down on 1990, so France has not failed to honour her commitments over the past ten years. However, for the coming decade, there can be no relaxation of our efforts if we want to consolidate this result by a similar stabilization in 2010. (...)./.