The French government has called on the European Union to work on creating a tax on bunker and aviation fuel as part of its strategy for reducing carbon emissions and achieving a sustainable environment.
During a conference on October 15, the French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire commented that taxes for carbon emissions should be implemented also to aviation and ships, not only to cars.
He added that the taxes would boost France’s and Germany’s goals on carbon neutrality, keeping in mind that the latter has already revealed its plans for a carbon-neutral Germany by 2050.
La Maire further added that ‘We propose that work is done on a European tax on airplane and ship fuel.’
In late summer, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed ships’ speed reduction to decrease maritime transport’s carbon emissions footprint, supporting that reducing speed would be ‘one of the most efficient ways of reducing emissions’.
According to the New York Times, La Maire noted that France will consider its public export guarantees in line with the Paris Agreement and decide which projects increase carbon emissions and stop their financing.
