Background information

Law No. 2021-1104, known as the "Climate and Resilience Law", was one of the 149 measures proposed by the Citizen's Climate Convention. The law, which was withheld and passed by the Parliament later, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, in line with the EU's Fit for 55 roadmap.

Content of measure

The Climate and Resilience Law focuses on five key themes debated by the Citizens' Climate Convention: consumption, production and work, transportation, housing, and nourishment. The law includes 300 articles, introducing several significant measures:

• An environmental label to inform consumers about the environmental impact of products and services. This harmonised eco-score will first be implemented for clothing.
• A ban on advertisements for fossil fuels starting in 2022, and for polluting vehicles by 2028. From 2022, advertisements for vehicles and electronic household products must disclose their environmental impact.
• Large and medium-sized retailers must allocate 20% of their sales area to bulk sales by 2030.
• School cafeterias must offer a vegetarian menu at least once a week, starting in 2021.
• Support for renewable energy, including mandatory installation of solar panels and green roofs on commercial buildings, offices, and parking structures.
• Policies to complement the Mobility Law of December 24, 2019.
• A progressive ban on renting buildings classified as energy-inefficient "thermal sieves."

Additionally, the law revises the role of work councils in businesses. Small and medium-sized enterprises with over 50 employees must now include environmental issues in their discussions.

Implementation will require around 100 decrees, with funding provided through the France Relance recovery plan and the 2021 finance law budget.

Use of measure

According to the Climate and Resilience Law, the High Council for Climate is responsible for evaluating the law's implementation annually. Every three years, the Council will also assess local governments' efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. However, a March 2024 report by the Court of Auditors found that the law’s implementation has been slow and remains incomplete. Additionally, evaluation methods are underdeveloped and insufficient, limiting the High Council for Climate’s ability to monitor progress effectively. The report calls for the development of new comprehensive tools and assessment methods to ensure proper enforcement of the law.

A two-year report by the Ministries of Regional Development and Green Transition identified eleven key measures that have been implemented: * Environmental education introduced in all schools. * Elimination of patio heating to reduce energy waste. * First environmental labels displayed on car and household appliance advertisements, with trials in the food and textile sectors. * Pilot program for zero-interest mobility loans to support the purchase of electric or hybrid vehicles in low-emission zones. * Launch of France Rénov', a new public home renovation service. * Freeze on rent increases for "thermal sieves" (classified G and F). * Mandatory energy audits for G and F-rated homes before they can be sold. * Ban on the creation of new shopping centres on agricultural or natural land. * Support for local officials in implementing the goal of net-zero land artificialization by 2050. * Introduction of vegetarian meal options in all schools' canteens. * Restrictions on highly polluting vehicles in around ten metropolitan areas.

An analysis by Liaisons Sociales on how companies incorporate environmental factors into their Strategic Workforce Planning (GEPP) found that few agreements address the green transition and its impact. While training is identified as the key strategy for adapting employment to climate challenges, there is a lack of concrete measures included in agreements.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Other social actors (e.g. NGOs)	National funds National Recovery and Resilience Facility

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The law was designed by the Citizen's Climate Convention and therefore was not designed by social partners. Social partners are not included in the implementation and monitoring of the law itself.

Views and reactions

The law Climate and Resiliency also requires social partners to include environmental objectives in agreements on the management of jobs and career paths (GEPP). These agreements are required to be negociated within companies with 300 workers or more, once every three years.

Sources

• 24 August 2021: Loi du 22 août 2021 portant lutte contre le dérèglement climatique et renforcement de la résilience face à ses effets (www.vie-publique.fr)
• 24 August 2021: LOI n° 2021-1104 du 22 août 2021 portant lutte contre le dérèglement climatique et renforcement de la résilience face à ses effets (1) (www.legifrance.gouv.fr)
• 01 May 2023: La prise en compte des enjeux de transition écologique dans les accords sur la GEPP (www.liaisons-sociales.fr)
• 24 August 2023: Loi climat et résilience : bilan à 2 ans (www.ecologie.gouv.fr)
• 15 March 2024: Évaluation annuelle de la mise en œuvre des mesures prévues par la loi climat et résilience (www.ccomptes.fr)
• 18 October 2024: Loi Climat et Résilience : la lutte contre le dérèglement climatique (bigmedia.bpifrance.fr)