“The only way to push is through the law,” they say. A group of experts, scientists and lawyers filed an appeal before the Council of State to force the government and public administrations to respect the objectives set for the development of renewable energies.
The appeal was filed on Wednesday evening, Corinne Lepage, a lawyer with the “Renewable Energies for All” association, told reporters.
Denouncing the lack of means deployed by the State and “the weakness” of its action in favor of a massive expansion of these energies, the association urges it to “take all useful measures that allow France to guarantee the compatibility of the development path of renewable energy”. .
It asks it, in particular, to reach “the target of 42.5% of ENR in total energy consumption, in accordance with the agreement of the Council of the European Union of March 30”.
“Excess Power”
On April 16, the association sent a letter to this effect to the Minister of Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher. Having not received a response to this kind appeal, he takes the next step with this appeal “for excess of power”, explained Corinne Lepage.
“The government must have a sword at its waist to achieve the objectives,” estimated the former environment minister, who also represents the municipality of Grande-Synthe (Nord) in its proceedings against the state for “climate inaction.”
“The only way to put pressure is through the law, to restrict the state,” he said.
In 2020, France was the only EU country not to meet its renewable energy targets (19% of its final energy consumption instead of the expected 23%), which should cost it around €500 million. It is at 20.7% in 2022.
For the rest, “we are not there”, adds the lawyer, either the 33% expected for 2030, or a fortiori those that will have to be reviewed to align with European ambitions (42.5% or even 45% for the most voluntary ).
“Current projections are unanimously far from the objectives,” underlines the association, citing in particular the Higher Climate Council.
At a time when the country’s energy strategy must be reviewed, starting this summer, the appeal wants to “press so that the copies are revised upwards as much as possible”, underlines Corinne Lepage.
The State is already being prosecuted for “inaction” in favor of renewables by a consultant specializing in wind and photovoltaic projects, which initiated an action in February before the same body.
Parliament also noted
The “ENR for all” collective was created this spring to “defend these energies as an effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions”, with the desire also to “dismantle the misinformation” that surrounds them, said its president, Stéphane His, consulting engineer. .
The association considers the recent “renewable acceleration law” insufficient, which, according to it, adds to the administrative complication by requiring communities to define acceleration zones.
“This resource is addressed both to Parliament, which has not grasped what is at stake, with a political class blinded by the memory of the 1974 nuclear program, while France is isolated worldwide in the pace of development of renewables and that the IPCC tells us that wind and solar have the greatest potential to reduce GHGs,” says Cédric Philibert, a former fellow at the International Energy Agency.
The collective lists all the regulatory blockades that, beyond the lack of financial means, affect solar and wind energy in France: limits on self-consumption, agrovoltaism, solar panels on rooftops…
It also underlines the urgency of acting in these coming years, knowing that it will not be necessary to have new nuclear power plants before 2035 at the earliest.
“A nuclear policy council was held at the Élysée Palace to break down all the barriers (for future reactors), why not do the same for renewables?” suggests researcher Ghislain Dubois.
As for the timeline for the appeal, Corinne Lepage expects a state brief within six months, before a hearing in late 2024.
Source: BFM TV
