France fined additional €10 million for air pollution failures

Nitrogen dioxide levels remain above the European threshold in Paris and Lyon and current and planned actions won’t bring them below the limit.

France’s top administrative court ordered the state to pay a further €10 million over lingering air pollution in two major cities.

The penalty consists of two fines of €5 million each, corresponding to the second half of 2022 and the first half of this year. (File/Reuters)

Nitrogen dioxide levels remain above the European threshold in Paris and Lyon and current and planned actions won’t bring them below the limit within a short time frame, the Conseil d’Etat said in its ruling Friday.

The penalty consists of two fines of €5 million each, corresponding to the second half of 2022 and the first half of this year. It was reduced by half to take into account improvements in air quality in some zones.

Most of the fine will go to government agencies tasked with fighting climate change and air pollution.

In a statement, the French environment ministry said it’s working to hit those thresholds as quickly as possible, both on national and local levels.

The court previously fined the state €30 million in 2022 and 2021 for falling short on air quality improvement. It said it would evaluate the government’s actions again next year.