France

France takes environmental protection to a whole new level: it made it a part of its Constitution. Putting politics into practice, the country formulated a Climate Plan to reach the national goal of saving 54 million tons of CO2 by 2010. With nearly 30 percent of France’s land area consisting of forests and woodlands, reforestation has become a common strategy to decrease CO2 emissions and France’s emissions of greenhouse gases are the lowest among the EU powers—and still declining. The French Presidency of the European Union began on July 1, 2008, and works primarily on the development of the EU Energy/Climate package, offering solutions to aid in reducing the production of greenhouse gases by 20 percent and increasing EU consumption of renewable energies by 20 percent, before the year 2020. Environmental Advocacy French President Nicolas Sarkozy is pressuring the European Union to pass the carbon tax to help of the fight on climate change. However there is a lot of resistance by many people. France can become the first major world economy to institute, If passed, a carbon tax.

The Global Day of Conversation

In conjunction with the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the Global Day of Conversation will illustrate the commitment of millions to make the natural environment a priority for 2010 and beyond. Through these conversations, local officials will help bridge the gap that exists in public engagement through education and a course of action. Ultimately, this day will elevate the collective voice of local governments and communities in a national and international environmental dialogue.

The Global Day of Conversation marks the third year that mayors and local government elected officials hold conversations in their communities with their constituents to deepen understanding of the paramount environmental issues facing humanity today. The first two conversation initiatives were held in cities across the United States. In 2010, Earth Day Network is eager to work with cities and local governments around the world to advance engagement by citizens and communities to implement positive actions to mitigate environmental impacts and advance the green economy in the 21st century.

Sustainability

Olgga Architects have designed a way to house students in Le Havre to reuse old shipping containers. The 100 containers will be stacked together and refurbished to include everything from a bathroom to a kitchenette. When compared to modern day student housing in dormitories, these containers offer approximately the same amount of room and comfort.

Renewable Energy

Areva, a mega-conglomerate in France has recently purchased the solar start-up Ausra. The solar market continues to grow, and is predicted to continue in this positive trend for years to come. Areva is the type of company that can get solar projects accomplished because of its sheer size. Renewable Energy/Sustainability The French government has recently promised to fund the creation of a network of charging stations for electric vehicles using taxpayer’s money amounting to $2.2 million. In past years, the problem with electric vehicles has been the lack of charging stations. France hopes to solve this by creating these stations in the hopes of kick-starting the creation of more electric automobiles in the near future.

The Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity  was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The following discusses France's plans for biodiversity nationwide:

France is composed of various ecosystem types, notably wetlands, lakes, costal habitats, prairies, and forests. Agricultural zones cover more than half of the French territory. Metropolitan France (excluding overseas territories), covering less then 12% of the European continent, comprises 40% of Europe’s flora. This flora is characterized by a high rate of endemism, especially in the Mediterranean and Pyrenean parts of the country. 4 700 species are known to exist in mainland France and 486 of them (10%) are considered endangered or vulnerable. However, some species are increasing in numbers, particularly in forest areas. Regarding France’s fauna, 39% of reptiles, 36% of mammals, and 22% of freshwater fish species are currently threatened. In addition, the country comprises 276 species of birds, of which 18% are threatened. Overseas, the territories, although 4 times smaller in size than Metropolitan France, are home to 100 times more freshwater fish species, 60 times more endemic birds, 26 times more endemic plants, and 3.5 times more endemic mollusks. French Guyana, with a vast track of untouched primary Amazonian forest, has over 5350 species of vascular plants, and 183 terrestrial mammals. New Caledonia, an overseas territory with its own government responsible for the protection of biodiversity, has a flora which is 85% endemic, with several families and genus found no where else in the world, as well as half of the species of coniferous plants found in the southern hemisphere. In 2005, zones that were dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity accounted for 12.6% of all of the French territory. Today, the destruction, fragmentation and alteration of habitats constitute the most important direct cause of the decline of biodiversity in the country.

In regard to protected areas, the country intends to: integrate 90% of priority habitats and protected species into the protected areas system, create 10 marine parks (6 by 2012), and protect 1/3 of all coasts by 2030. The country has completed in 2006 its designation of the Natura 2000 network, with nearly 1700 sites and over 12% of the terrestrial metropolitan territory. It has created a new terrestrial national park in Guyana (3,390 million ha – 28 Feb. 2007) and another national park in the Reunion Island is to be created early 2007. Several other protected areas have been created recently, with a focus on marine biodiversity: one of the largest natural reserves in the world, on the southern islands of Kerguelen, Saint Paul, Crozet and Amsterdam (2,27 million ha, marine and terrestrial; 2006), a marine natural park in La Réunion (3,900 ha – February 2007), a terrestrial and marine natural reserve in the lagoon of Mayotte Island (January 2007), and the coral reefs and lagoon of New Caledonia are being proposed for world heritage inscription.

Source: Convention on Biodiversity