According to a monthly estimate published by CITEPA, emissions related to electricity production are increasing sharply in France during the first nine months of 2022.
by perrine Mourte
The drop in historic production of the French nuclear fleet has a climate cost. According to monthly barometer of the technical study of pollution Atmospheric (CITEPA), mandated to make the French inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, these increased slightly in the third quarter (+ 0.4 %). On the first nine months of the year, they only folved 0.3 % compared to the same period in 2021, far from the essential decline in achieving climatic objectives.
This bad result is explained firstly by stopping an unprecedented number of nuclear reactors for maintenance and corrosion reasons on pipes, which has led to an increased appeal to thermal power plants since the start of The year. France has never consumed as much gas as in 2022 for its electricity production, the main natural gas distributor, GRDF, speaking of a “record”. Electrical production emissions are up sharply over the first nine months of the year (+ 12 %). 2>
increase in transport in transport 2>
“As the reactors restart at the stop seems to have to spread over longer periods than initially expected, it is to be feared that the electricity sector continues to weigh heavily on the emissions of the fourth trimester, much more important For the annual assessment as those of the hollow of summer “, Note the economist Christian de Perthuis , director of the climate economy chair at Paris-Dauphine University.
Transport -related emissions – The most issuing sector in France – are also up (+ 4 %), with significant monthly variations, according to the provisional assessment published on December 21. The CITEPA highlights several factors that can explain these developments: the effects of the Russian invasion in Ukraine on the price of fuels, the measures taken to compensate for this price increase or the continuation of the resumption of post-COVIV-19 activities . The sector of residential and tertiary buildings and that of the industry have, on the other hand, issued less greenhouse gases than in 2021.
To comply with its European commitments, France should double the annual rate of decreasing its emissions to achieve a drop of 4.7 % per year on average between 2022 and 2030, according to the High Council for the Climate. In 2021, the country issued around 418 million tonnes equivalent to its territory co 2 .