Climate · emissions beyond borders
France cut its emissions at home by 24 to 25 percent, and abroad by 3 to 8 percent.
Emissions from French consumption are falling, as long as they happen in France. The emissions in factories, power plants and fields elsewhere, for goods, food and buildings, are falling too, but more slowly. Climate targets don't count them.
- The footprint of France is 46–53 percent higher than official emissions according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). Exactly how much depends on the model.
- 51–52 percent of the footprint arises abroad (2022), against 45–47 percent in 2010.
- Official emissions fell by 21 percent between 2010 and 2022; the footprint only by 15–17 percent.
- Per person, France causes 8.1 tonnes, less than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes (rank 18 of 27, Eurostat 2023). Between 2010 and 2019 the footprint fell by 13 percent, similar to most EU countries; between 2019 and 2023 it fell by 9 percent, similar to most EU countries.
- Outside France, most emissions for French consumption are released in China, Russia and Germany.
- France imports more emissions than it exports: 161–180 megatonnes net in 2022. Since 2010, what it earns from foreign demand grew by 41 percent (real); the emissions for it fell by 14 percent.
- Satellites see about as much methane over France as the country reports (2023).
In short
Emissions caused by French consumption and investment, by location
The official figure falls faster than the footprint
The figure in the news is emissions on French territory, according to the national inventory (via Eurostat). It fell by 21 percent between 2010 and 2022. The footprint fell by 15–17 percent over the same years. The official figure counts emissions for what is exported, but not for what is imported.
France compared with the other EU countries
Per person, France causes 8.1 tonnes of greenhouse gas (Eurostat, 2023), less than the EU average of 9.0 tonnes, rank 18 of 27.
Checked from space
Satellites measure how much methane hangs in the air. From that, scientists can work back to how much a country emits. That puts an independent measurement next to the official figures.
Where the emissions occur
For French consumption, most emissions abroad occur in China, followed by Russia, Germany and United States. Pick a year or play the timeline. Click a country to see how it changed since 2010.
Who France emits for
In 2022, 135–141 megatonnes of greenhouse gases were released in France for consumption and investment in other countries. Meanwhile, 302–316 megatonnes were released elsewhere for French consumption. That makes France a net importer of emissions: 161–180 megatonnes more are released elsewhere for France than the other way round.
How we calculate
A footprint follows every euro that households, government and companies spend on final products back through the supply chain, to the country where the emissions occur. So-called input-output models do this, built on trade statistics and emission inventories from dozens of countries.