Industrial decarbonisation: €30 billion by 2050 for nine key sectors
Published on 31 March 2026, ADEME's sectoral transition plans target emission reductions of more than 80%.
On 31 March 2026, ADEME unveiled the consolidated results of its Sectoral Transition Plans, devoted to France's nine most emitting industrial sectors.
French industry alone accounts for 15% of national emissions, mainly concentrated in nine strategic sectors: steel, cement, aluminium, glass, sugar, paper and board and base chemicals in particular.
These emissions largely come from burning fossil fuels that are entirely imported, a dependence brought back into focus by the current international context.
For each sector, several decarbonisation scenarios were co-developed with industrial firms, combining changes in demand, technical processes and socio-economic impacts. All allow emission reductions of more than 80%.
The cost of this transformation for the nine sectors could reach €30 billion by 2050, excluding the costs of developing grid infrastructure.
ADEME stresses that decarbonising industry is also an opportunity to modernise France's industrial base and a form of insurance against the risk of rising fossil fuel prices.