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Municipality of Grande-Synthe v. France - opinion

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Municipality of Grande-Synthe v. France - press release

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Municipality of Grande-Synthe v. France - decision

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By three letters dated November 19, 2018, the municipality of Grande-Synthe and its mayor asked the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of State, and the Minister of Ecological Transition and Solidarity to (i) take any useful measure to bend the curve of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced on the national territory to respect the obligations agreed by France; (ii) take all legislative or regulatory initiatives to "make climate priority mandatory" and to prohibit any measure likely to increase GHG emissions, and (iii) implement immediate measures to adapt to climate change in France. They did not receive any answer from the public authorities. 

Therefore, on January 23, 2019, they sued the French government and requested the Council of State to annul for excess of power the implicit decisions of rejection resulting from the silence kept by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Minister of State, Minister of Ecological Transition and Solidarity, on their requests, and to order them to (i) take all necessary measures to curb the curve of GHG emissions produced on the national territory to respect at least the commitments agreed by France at the international and national levels; (ii) implement immediate measures to adapt to climate change in France, and (iii) take all necessary legislative and regulatory initiatives to "make climate change a priority" and prohibit any measure likely to increase GHG emissions. The suit was filed before the Council of State (Conseil d'Etat), the highest administrative court in France, which has jurisdiction to review a decision within the general regulatory power of the government. Plaintiffs stressed the particular vulnerability of Grande-Synthe to the impacts of climate change as a low-lying coastal municipality exposed to sea level rise and flooding. 

On November 19, 2020, the Council of State ruled that the case was admissible. According to the Court, the coastal communities' claims are admissible in part because the city is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. The Court also accepted interventions by NGOs and other interested cities. The Court then noted that France committed itself to a 40% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and instructed the government to justify its ability to meet this goal without stricter measures. Although the Court signalled that the decision would be driven by French and European law and not the Paris Agreement, the Court reasoned that the Paris Agreement must be considered in the interpretation of national law. In this respect, the objective of reducing GHG emissions by 40% between 1990 and 2030 set out in Article L. 100-4 of the Energy Code, which expressly mentions the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, is intended to ensure, as far as France is concerned, the effective implementation of the principles set out in international law. Moreover, the Court stated that the fact that the executive branch refrains from submitting a bill to Parliament concerns the relationship between the constitutional public authorities and is therefore outside the jurisdiction of the administrative court. On the other hand, it affirmed that it did not have all the necessary elements to assess the situation in order to state on the claim concerning the annulment of the implicit refusal to take any useful measure enabling the curve of GHG emissions produced on the national territory to be curbed and the related injunction to curb the emissions and instructed the government to justify, within three months, that it was taking adequate actions towards meeting its own 2030 climate goals. 

The Council of State issued the final decision on July 1, 2021. It ordered the government to "take all the measures necessary" by the end of March 2022 to bend the curve of GHG emissions to meet climate goals, including a 40% reduction by 2030. The Court annulled the government's implicit refusal to take necessary measures, noting that the emissions decrease in 2019 and 2020 were not enough to ensure compliance with the required climate goals, and current climate regulations were insufficient to meet the target. 

After further review in 2023, the Council of State determined that the available evidence did not provide a sufficiently credible guarantee that the emissions reduction plan would achieve the 2030 target. However, the procedure concerning the evaluation of the implementation of the measures necessary to comply with the 2021 Council of State decision has now concluded. 

On October 24, 2025, the Council found that the results already achieved and the measures taken by the government are sufficiently precise and credible to conclude that the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% between 1990 and 2030 will be met. The Council determined that the interim targets for the 2019–2025 period had been achieved and that the measures implemented through December 31, 2023, should enable a 39.5% reduction by 2030, considering the additional actions adopted since 2024. Accordingly, the Council of State ruled that the injunctions it issued in 2021 and 2023 have been fulfilled and closed the case.

Municipality of Grande-Synthe v. France

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Terrestrial means "of the earth" and relates to the risks to ecological system that includes all living organisms and their interactions within land-based environments, such as forests, grasslands, and deserts.

A ban is a legal action that prevents the sale or supply of a product or service, or that recalls a product from the market. Examples are bans on SF6, greenwashing, fossil fuel advertisement or single-use plastics.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

The activities of industries involved in the production, distribution, and sale of energy, including electricity, gas, and renewables.

Air pollution involves harmful contaminants in the air, affecting both indoor and outdoor environments. It can lead to health issues like respiratory diseases and heart problems, and climate impacts such as global warming. Pollutants can damage plants, trees, habitats, and water bodies like rivers and lakes.

A commitment to balance GHG emissions with removal by a certain point in time, effectively reducing the net emissions to zero

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Activities of industries that extract natural resources, such as mining, oil, and gas, for commercial use.

Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

People who are less able to respond to the effects of climate change due to having limited financial or physical assets

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

Climate change can have a range of impacts on technological system. Extreme weather events can cause infrastructure failures like power outages or damage to roads and bridges, as well as the impacts from waste following natural disasters. Human activities also cause technological impacts, such as the risks posed by oil spillage and leaks.

A target to reduce the prevalence of a greenhouse gas over a specific time frame

Activities that involve planning, designing and building infrastructure, residential, and commercial structures.

Climate change impacts our society by disrupting the natural, economic and social systems we depend on. Physical hazards and underlying vulnerabilities can lead to increased resource competition for food and water, which can heighten the risk of conflict.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

Municipality of Grande-Synthe v. France - opinion

Target

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience