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France’s highest administrative court has imposed a record fine on the government for failing to reduce air pollution to acceptable levels. The Council of State on Wednesday imposed on the government of President Emmanuel Macron its highest fine ever, 10 million euros, warning that it would start again in a few months if the authorities do not act quickly to combat the smog.
Announcing the record fine, the Council of State, France’s highest administrative tribunal, said the measures decided by the government were insufficient to improve air quality.
Last year, the council ruled that the government had failed to implement a 2017 court order to reduce air pollution levels, and gave it six months to take corrective action or deal with a fine of 10 million euros every six months until air quality improves. .
With the six-month deadline expired, the Council is now implementing its threat.
Air pollution is believed to be the cause of 40,000 premature deaths in France per year.
The court said that nitrogen dioxide pollution – produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, especially by cars – was still excessive in five cities: Paris, Lyon, Marseille-Aix, Toulouse and Grenoble.
More fines will follow, unless the air improves
He also distinguished Paris for consistently high levels of pollution by PM10 microparticles.
The court said it would review air pollution levels again in early 2022 and could then impose another fine that could be “higher or lower” than the last, depending on the findings.
The State Council said Wednesday’s fine will be shared among various air pollution control agencies.
The non-governmental organization Friends of the Earth, which launched the pollution lawsuit against the government, will obtain 100,000 euros, the judges estimated.
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