Natural disasters: the government will increase the Barnier fund to 300 million euros in 2025, says the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, presented, Friday October 25, the new national plan for adaptation to climate change (Pnacc), from Eveux (Rhône), where he came to meet victims of the floods of October 17 and 18. In “an extremely constrained budgetary context”the head of government announced an increase of 75 million euros in the Barnier fund, created in 1995 and which makes it possible to finance part of the prevention of natural risks, “to reach 300 million euros next year”.
The rest of the plan, which compiles projects on forest fires, the retreat of the coastline, the adaptation of schools or hospitals, will still have to be discussed with the general public and stakeholders from all sectors.
The former environment minister also warned against people who “doubt, who dispute” the reality of global warming. “It will concern all regions of France. Marseille will have the climate of Seville and Lille will have the climate of Bilbao. This change will have very concrete consequences”estimated Michel Barnier before launching: “Prevention costs less than repair. »
Last week’s bad weather hit several departments in the Center-East and South-East. In total, 1,000 people had been evacuated, the motorway and the railway line between Lyon and Saint-Etienne closed, and certain municipalities, such as Annonay in Ardèche, particularly affected. Very rainy episodes have been increasing in France since the end of 2023, while heavy rain is again expected in Gard, Var and the Alpes-Maritimes, placed on orange alert on Friday.
In this context, the third Pnacc was eagerly awaited. Especially since the presentation of this plan, launched in 2023, has been constantly postponed, disrupted by crises deemed more urgent by the executive, then by the European elections and the dissolution of the National Assembly in June.