Discover France's polar strategy.
The two polar regions, the Arctic and the Antarctic, are now "outposts" of the planet. This strategy is part of the cooperation with the member states of the European Union and "other countries that share our desire to make the poles an area of concord and progress", Prime Minister had stated.
Antarctica is a "major climate game-changer". According to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the ice pack will continue to melt over the long term, a forecast that could lead to a global sea-level rise of four meters in three centuries' time.
For its part, the Southern Ocean is the planet's main heat pump, as well as a carbon dioxide sink, making it a key element in the fight against climate change.
Through this strategy, the French government notably confirms its support for the creation or renewal of marine protected areas in East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea, and for the European Union's recommendation :
- to stop exploiting fossil fuels at the North Pole ;
- to adopt stricter regulations on Antarctic tourism.