France’s Referendum to add Climate Goals in Constitution

French President, Emmanuel Macron, have announced a referendum on December 15, 2020. This referendum has been announced to add the fight against climate change. The referendum also seeks to add and preserve the environment into the French Constitution.

Highlights

• The President has proposed a change in the constitution.
• This change requires a parliamentary vote and then a referendum in the French constitution.
• European Union leaders along with the French President, agreed to meet up the 2030 targets to reduce greenhouse gases.
• The continent agreed to reduce the greenhouse gases from 40 percent to at least 55 percent as compared to the 1990 levels.
• S. President-elect Joe Biden also pledged to re-join the Paris climate accord.

France’s commitment on Climate

The President highlighted that; France doesn’t take enough steps to be in line with its climate-related commitments that aims to curb the global warming. He also highlighted that; France is missing its national targets that was set under the 2015 Paris Agreement. The country is already delayed by most of its efforts.

Paris Agreement

It is an agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement deals with the greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, its adaptation and finance. The agreement was signed in the year 2016. It was negotiated by the representatives of 196 state parties. The agreement was adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in France. In the year 2015, the agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015. Currently, 196 members have signed the agreement and 188 countries are party to it. Out of these 188 countries, Iran, Turkey, and the United States are the highest emitters.