The French support the thermal renovation of buildings or the banning of polluting vehicles from city centres. But they are less enthusiastic about the increase in the tax on fossil fuels.
At a time when the ecological transition is one of the priorities of governments around the world, the yellow vests crisis in France having shown that it must imperatively be carried out in agreement with the citizens, a note from the Economic Analysis Council ( CAE) published on Tuesday looked at French support for various climate policies. Based on an international survey conducted in twenty countries – in France, a representative sample of 2006 people was interviewed in June 2021 -, it shows “a varied level of support depending on the measures».
Some measures are mainly supported by the French, first notes the report of the CAE, responsible for advising the government. We can cite the obligation of thermal renovation of buildings accompanied by subsidies – it is the most popular policy, with 64% of support -, subsidies for the adoption and deployment of low-carbon technologies, public investments in infrastructure decarbonized vehicles and banning polluting vehicles from city centres. The French are also generally in favor of the ban on intensive cattle breeding and subsidies on fruits and vegetables from organic and local agriculture.
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Obtain a relative majority of support for the contribution to a global fund to finance clean energy in low-income countries, and the tax on plane tickets (which would increase their price by 20%). Conversely, among the measures which are met with the most opposition, we find the tax which would double the price of beef, the abolition of subsidies for cattle breeding, the ban on thermal vehicles, but above all the outright increase and simple tax on fossil fuels, which would increase the price of petrol by 10 cents per liter (50% opposition). “That is to say more or less the carbon tax without revenue allocation as initially implemented and contested by the Yellow Vests“, observe the authors.
Determining car use
On the other hand, a carbon tax obtains a majority of support when it is specified to the respondents that it will be used to finance green infrastructure projects, a reduction in income tax, subsidies for low carbon technologies, or even a transfer to the most modest.
The report thus notes that support for a climate measure depends very much on its modalities and the use of its revenue. Three perceptions also come into play:the effectiveness of emission reductions, the distributive effects and the effects on his household“. Informing citizens about the effects of climate policies, particularly distributive ones, also appears to be decisive. In addition, a majority of French people think that an increase in taxes on the richest is the preferred funding channel for financing a green infrastructure program.
At the level of individuals, and if we look only at policies relating to the energy transition, “two variables stand out as predictors of support» . These two variables, continues the survey, are the availability of public transport, which has a positive influence on the adhesion of the population, while the use of the car in daily life is a factor which weighs negatively on acceptance. energy measures. The authors of the study go even further: France is one of the countries where eating beef regularly or working in a polluting sector will have a strong effect on a rejection of these measures.
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Far from waiting for other countries to act to do the same, the French support national climate measures. “A large relative majority considers that if other countries do less for the climate, France should do more“, write the authors. But in addition, most respondents (85%) support a global agreement to reduce emissions. With efforts proportional to the emissions of the countries (71%).
Develop alternatives before raising prices
In conclusion, the ACE makes seven climate policy recommendations, “both effective and supported by citizens“. One of them is particularly topical, in the context of soaring energy prices. According to the authors, it is important to sequence the implementation of climate policies: “first promote the distribution of low-carbon alternatives to protect households from price increases, before possible increases in the price of carbon».
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Regarding these alternatives, the note recommends concentrating efforts on two aspects. On the one hand, the strengthening of aid schemes for the purchase of low-emission equipment, in particular for vulnerable and low-income households (energy renovation of buildings, acquisition of electric vehicles, etc.). On the other hand, the acceleration of public investment in low-carbon infrastructure: public transport, rail network, cycle paths, charging stations for electric vehicles.
The CAE recommends paying particular attention to revenue from environmental taxes. By redistributing them, in the form of lump-sum transfers, to vulnerable households, and using them to finance low-carbon infrastructure and equipment. Finally, the economic organization proposes to “conduct regular surveys on household perceptions, concerns and expectations“, and of “better inform citizens about the functioning and effects of climate policies».