National commitment to the environment - Grenelle 2

Country / jurisdiction: France · Year: 2010 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

Grenelle 2 is the law establishing France "national commitment to the environment," and corresponds to the implementation of part of the Grenelle Environment Forum suggestions.

Objective : design and construct buildings more energy-conscious and better coordinated with the planning policies of housing, commercial development and transportation, while improving the quality of life for residents.

Action taken : Support technological advancements, promote efficient urban land resources and energy use, organise transport to provide for public mobility needs while being environmentally friendly. Beginning in 2020, new buildings must be energy positive. Starting in 2013, renovation of old buildings must happen at a rate of 400,000 per year.

Objective : upgrade transport infrastructure and behaviour.

Action taken : Develop urban public transport, suburban and high speed, develop electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, experiment with congestion charging, and encourage rail freight and shipping, reduce energy consumption and their carbon emissions.

Objective : drastically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by saving energy and making cities more carbon-free.

Action taken : Promote the development of renewable energy, enforce and expand mandatory environmental labelling on products, conduct assessments of greenhouse gas emissions and develop an action plan to reduce them, and extend energy efficiency certificates.

Objective : ensure a proper functioning of ecosystems by protecting species and habitats.

Aciton taken : develop the Green and Blue, make agriculture sustainable, protect wetlands and drinking water catchments, supervise on-site sanitation and fight against water losses in networks, protect the sea and coastline and work to preserve biodiversity.

Objective : establish the necessary tools to start an ecological democracy, as in the private sector in the public sphere.

Action taken : develop reports on social and environmental aspects, in addition to financial reports; strengthen public consultation guidelines; reform the EESC and the CESR; designate representative environmental associations to participate in institutional dialogues; and enforce risk control, waste treatment, and health maintenance.

Objective : Protect the health of everyone and respect the environment by preventing risks, fighting against all forms of pollution, and managing waste more sustainably.

Action taken : fight against air pollution, light pollution, and noise; extend the means to fight against floods; consider emerging risks (nanosubstances, electromagnetic waves); implement a sustainable waste management system.

Official source: https://www.ademe.fr/expertises/batiment/elements-contexte/politiques-vigueur/lois-grenelle-transition-energetique-croissance-verte