PARIS (Reuters) – French lawmakers voted late on Saturday to abolish domestic flights on routes that cannot be traveled by train in less than two and a half hours, as the government tries to reduce carbon emissions even as the airline industry moves from global pandemic.
The measure is part of a broader climate bill that aims to reduce France’s carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 from 1990 levels, although activists accuse President Emmanuel Macron of rejecting previous promises in the bill. of legislation.
The vote came days after the state said it would contribute to a € 4 billion ($ 4.76 billion) recapitalization of Air France, more than doubling its stake in the aircraft carrier, to consolidate finances after more than a year of COVID-19 travel boards.
Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher rejected criticism from the aviation industry that the recovery from the pandemic was not the time to ban domestic flights and said there was no contradiction between the rescue and the climate bill.
“We know that aviation contributes to carbon dioxide and that, because of climate change, we need to reduce emissions,” she told Radio Europa 1. “We also need to support our companies and keep them from falling by the wayside.” . ”
Air traffic may not return to pre-crisis levels before 2024, McKinsey analysts predict.
Some environmental activists have said the bill does not go far enough. A citizens’ climate forum set up by Macron to help shape climate policy called for the cancellation of flights on routes where the train journey is less than 4 hours.
The vote on Saturday night in the National Assembly was the first. The bill is sent to the Senate before a third and final vote in the lower house, where Macron’s ruling party and allies dominate.
($ 1 = $ 0.8406)
Reporting by Richard Lough; edited by Barbara Lewis