https://www.humantruth.info/france_environment.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2025
#climate_change #france #france_and_the_environment #france_environment #french_polynesia #new_zealand #nuclear_weapons #the_environment
France comes 30th in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. France does the second-best when it comes to its environmental performance1. It comes in the best 20 in its score on the Green Future Index2. It does better than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-20203, energy to GDP efficiency4, how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity and in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population5. Scrutiny by the European Parliament finds that France has effectively reduced its emissions by 31.2% between 2005 and 20236. But, things still need to improve in France. France does worse than average for reducing annual meat consumption per person7. France conducted nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia (southern Pacific) for thirty years, at the Mururoa Atoll. It was so committed to this that its service blew up Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship whilst it was harboured in New Zealand in 1985, killing one crew member8, because it was preparing to protest Mururoa. Despite no tests being conducted for thirty years, the area is still so radioactive that the French military guard it.
#climate_change #the_environment
Compared to Europe (2023)9 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank9 | |
1 | Greece | 50.4 |
2 | Italy | 51.8 |
3 | Germany | 55.8 |
4= | Norway | 56.0 |
4= | Sweden | 56.0 |
6 | Portugal | 57.0 |
7= | Spain | 57.6 |
8 | Switzerland | 60.8 |
9= | France | 61.8 |
9= | Denmark | 61.8 |
11 | Luxembourg | 64.2 |
12 | Netherlands | 65.8 |
13= | Austria | 66.6 |
Europe Avg | 79.9 | |
q=43. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)9 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank9 | |
1 | Japan | 33.2 |
2 | Philippines | 45.0 |
3 | Uruguay | 48.0 |
... | ||
27 | Switzerland | 60.8 |
28= | Tunisia | 61.0 |
28= | Paraguay | 61.0 |
30 | France | 61.8 |
31= | Denmark | 61.8 |
32 | Mauritius | 62.3 |
33 | Indonesia | 62.4 |
34 | S. Korea | 62.8 |
World Avg | 85.7 | |
q=188. |
#biodiversity #deforestation #environmentalism #forests #over-exploitation #the_environment
Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better3 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total3 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
23 | Jamaica | 14.1% |
24 | Italy | 13.8% |
25 | Fiji | 12.9% |
26 | France | 12.5% |
27 | Moldova | 11.9% |
28 | Palestine | 11.5% |
29 | Kyrgyzstan | 11.1% |
30 | Serbia | 10.6% |
Europe Avg | 8.2% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
Forests are carbon sinks, mitigating against climate change10,11. Unfortunately, we are destroying over 70,000 km2 of forest each year12. In the last few thousand years, we've removed 30-40% of the Earth's forest cover13,11, mostly to clear space for agriculture, and for logging14,15. The produce from both is shipped from poorer countries to richer ones. Half-hearted government efforts and company obfuscation of supply chains makes it almost impossible for consumers to tell which foods and products are from sustainable sources, and which ones are encouraging irresponsible deforestation, meaning that there is little incentive for companies to relent.
The effects are catastrophic. 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are the result of deforestation16,14. It brings soil erosion from wind and rain which, over time, can almost-permanently stop any hope of growing food17, and spreads desertification. Entire ecosystems are collapsing as a result, including ones that we depend upon18. The water cycle is driven by forests, and their loss reduces ordinary rainfall, increases flooding, removes an abundant source of water filtration, and contributes to a rise in water levels.19.
Some regions of the world are increasing their forest cover11; the best from 2000-2020 are Scandinavia (13.8% ), The Balkans (11.0% ) and Baltic States (7.6% )3. There is an overall trend that developed countries gathered their riches by using up their natural resources, and now, they pay poorer countries to use up theirs instead, whilst they can afford to slowly rebuild their natural environments. But it's not wholly that simple - some rich regions are still burning through what they've got. The regions clearing their forests fastest are Central America (-12.8% ), Africa (-9.1% ) and North America (-2.9% )3.
For more, see:
#climate_change #the_environment
Environmental Performance Higher is better1 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 20181 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
4 | Malta | 80.9 |
5 | Sweden | 80.5 |
6 | UK | 79.9 |
7 | Luxembourg | 79.1 |
8 | Austria | 79.0 |
9 | Ireland | 78.8 |
10 | Finland | 78.6 |
11 | Iceland | 78.6 |
12 | Spain | 78.4 |
Europe Avg | 69.6 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Higher is better4 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 20144 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 26.32 |
2 | Sri Lanka | 20.00 |
3 | Panama | 17.86 |
... | ||
48= | Algeria | 10.00 |
48= | Macedonia | 10.00 |
48= | Croatia | 10.00 |
51 | France | 09.90 |
52= | Lebanon | 09.90 |
53 | Hungary | 09.80 |
54= | Latvia | 09.80 |
55 | Poland | 09.71 |
Europe Avg | 09.80 | |
World Avg | 09.29 | |
q=119. |
#biodiversity #the_environment #USA
Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Signed | |
1= | China | 1993 Dec 29 |
1= | Guinea | 1993 Dec 29 |
1= | Cook Islands | 1993 Dec 29 |
... | ||
64 | Micronesia | 1994 Sep 18 |
65 | Malaysia | 1994 Sep 22 |
66 | Benin | 1994 Sep 28 |
67 | France | 1994 Sep 29 |
68 | Netherlands | 1994 Oct 10 |
69= | Pakistan | 1994 Oct 24 |
69= | Kenya | 1994 Oct 24 |
71 | Finland | 1994 Oct 25 |
Europe Avg | 1899 Dec 30 | |
World Avg | 1899 Dec 30 | |
q=197. |
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was originally sparked from United Nations activity in the 1980s as a result of rising scientific alarm over the impact of human activity on natural habitats, including a rising awareness of extinctions and shifts in ecosystems that occasionally cause widespread disruption that is difficult (or impossible) to reverse.
After a long period of international consultation involving hundreds of scientists and environmental ministers, the Convention was finalized and launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and received 168 signatures over the subsequent year.
Part of the first wave of signees were a large number of small island nations, who are uniquely susceptible to over-exploitation by rich companies and countries, but simultaneously, are (as a group) the least responsible for driving global extinctions.
Data on when each country ratified the CBD forms part of the formula of the Social and Moral Development Index, with countries losing points for reticence (taking into account the foundation dates of newly independent countries). The USA stands alone in not ratifying it, but is the world's greatest driver for activities that cause biodiversity loss.
For more, see:
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better5 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %5 | |
1 | Argentina | 78.3% |
2 | Greece | 77.6% |
3 | Brazil | 77.1% |
... | ||
69 | Cameroon | 39.0% |
70 | Uganda | 38.6% |
71 | Sierra Leone | 38.6% |
72 | France | 38.4% |
73 | Mongolia | 38.4% |
74 | Hungary | 38.0% |
75 | Mauritania | 38.0% |
76 | Croatia | 37.8% |
Europe Avg | 33.6% | |
World Avg | 39.9% | |
q=145. |
#animal_rights #animal_welfare #diet #food #health #meat #veganism #vegetarianism
Meat Consumption Lower is better7 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg7 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
157 | Panama | 85.0 |
158 | Luxembourg | 85.8 |
159 | Antigua & Barbuda | 85.8 |
160 | France | 86.1 |
161 | Barbados | 86.4 |
162 | Canada | 86.9 |
163 | New Caledonia | 87.5 |
164 | Montenegro | 88.4 |
Europe Avg | 71.1 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
Vegetarian diets have health advantages over carnivorous diets. Plant-based diets use much less water than carnivorous ones, to the extent that agricultural and water management scientists are urging governments to encourage people to switch20. Some vegetarians are morally opposed to the maltreatment of animals: some avoid meat products as an offensive against the meat industry. But there are problems with vegetarians, too. Some merely want to look good socially; some have accepted pro-vegetarian ideas that are plain wrong and misguided, and, some faddish vegetarian diets are harmful and dangerous. The countries that ate the least meat throughout the 2010s were Burundi, Congo, DR and Bangladesh7.
#climate_change #energy #sustainability #the_environment
Green Future Index Higher is better2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score2 | |
1 | Iceland | 6.7 |
2 | Finland | 6.7 |
3 | Norway | 6.4 |
4= | Sweden | 6.3 |
4= | Denmark | 6.3 |
6 | Netherlands | 6.2 |
7 | UK | 6.1 |
8 | S. Korea | 6.0 |
9 | France | 6.0 |
10= | Spain | 5.9 |
10= | Germany | 5.9 |
12 | Belgium | 5.8 |
Europe Avg | 5.6 | |
World Avg | 4.8 | |
q=76. |
The Green Futures Index (GFI) has been running since 2021, and looks at 23 data sets for over 70 countries, with a focus on effectiveness, policy and planning 'for a low carbon future. It is complementary to existing goals and frameworks for sustainable development'. Datasets include qualitative appraisals and quantitative measurements on carbon emissions across multiple sectors, renewable and nuclear energy, recycling capabilities, green technologies used in building and construction, transport, scientific and industrial green innovations and patent quantities, climate action and climate policies. Each country is then ranked by their final score.21.