ALM UNDP

Summary:

The following country profile is found in the Meister Consultants Group study: Floating Houses and Mosquito Nets: Emerging Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Around the World.

Summary

In recent years, an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather has raised public awareness about the need for adaptation in France. The heat wave in 2003, and the long periods of drought experienced in the south of the country, have contributed to the view that France needs to intensify its efforts to prepare for the impacts of climate change. In response, France passed a national adaptation strategy at the end of 2006. Currently the development of a detailed adaptation plan is under consideration, with the research institution ONERC (Observatoire National sur les Effets du Réchauffement Climatique) leading the strategic planning process. The national adaptation strategy emphasizes the importance of analyzing the consequences of climate change and risk assessment. There are numerous research programs that aim to provide the needed data for further strategic planning. In France, great weight is attached to economic and social aspects of adaptation. However, the implementation of concrete measures has been limited to singular cases. For example, Paris has taken precautions to be better prepared for future heat waves (p. 28).

Country Profile

French climate studies reveal that since 1950, the temperature rise in France has been even greater than the rise of average global temperatures.15 ONERC estimates that a rise of the average global temperature by 2°C would result in an increase of 3°C in France. Furthermore, extreme weather events, such as storms and heat waves, may increase in frequency, often causing damage to people and infrastructure. The northern regions of France will likely be affected by storms and floods, while the south will suffer from droughts and water scarcity. Climate change will likely have greater impacts on the water balance in the French Pyrenees that in the Alps, and these impacts will affect water supply and winter tourism.

While rising temperatures could potentially raise productivity in some forms of agriculture by between 10 and 30 percent (especially for wheat and corn), water shortages could cause serious problems in southern regions of the country. Furthermore, more frequent storms and hailstorms present greater challenges for farmers. The harvest season for wine has already changed in France, advancing by three weeks during the past fifty years. Increasing pest attacks and crop failures caused by extreme heat represent additional problems. Forestry will also be affected by water scarcity. Other risks of water shortages include the increase of storms and forest fires.17 Furthermore, lower rainfall during the summer and increased evaporation can lead to severe water shortages. At the same time, heavy rainfall events will affect water management due to earlier snow melt and a shift in water flow from spring to winter. Another problem posed by climate change is the decrease in water quality from sea level rise (salt water intrusion) and increased water temperatures.

The energy sector also faces significant climate adaptation challenges. The supply of cooling water could become scarce, especially during hot and dry summers. Cooling water shortages can cause power plants to shut down or work below capacity. Additionally, low water levels can hamper the power production at hydroelectric plants. At the same time rising temperatures raise the energy demand in summer as companies and households use more cooling systems.18 Furthermore, the increased frequency of storms can damage the energy infrastructure such as power lines, substations and transformers. While there could be an extension of the tourist season in the summer, winter tourism will probably face losses. This is especially relevant for the regions of Savoie, Hautes Alpes and Alpes de Haute Provence, where the number of ski areas could decrease by 20 percent in the case of a temperature rise of 2°C.

Source: Dr. Hans-Peter Meister, I. K., Martina Richwein, Wilson Rickerson, Chad Laurent. Additional contributors: Jeff Snell, Elisa Burchert, Florian Lux. (2009). Floating Houses and Mosquito Nets: Emerging Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Around the World. Boston: Meister Consultants Group. p. 28-29