45 environmental research and development

In 2013, R&D expenditure devoted either directly or indirectly to environmental issues was estimated to be €5 billion, equivalent to 10% of France’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D. 60% of expenditure on environmental research and development (excluding Energy and Transport) was incurred by businesses (compared with 20% in 2000).

Environmental research and development (R&D) lies at the crossroads of many different fields and lends itself to a multidisciplinary approach. This is due to the fact that many activities can have a positive impact on the environment, without having environmental protection as their primary aim. It therefore also encompasses research into managing natural resources, using energy in a rational way, renewable materials and biodiversity. More generally, environmental considerations affect almost all fields of research.

In 2013, R&D expenditure by the public and private sectors on issues relating to the environment was estimated to be around €5 billion.

The French government has long contributed the lion’s share of expenditure on environmental R&D. This government expenditure can be broken down into three fields of research with specific objectives (Environment – Monitoring and protecting the global environment, Exploration and exploitation of the earth and sea, Natural environments, see chapter A5). The proportion of expenditure on environmental R&D implemented by government peaked at more than 81% in 2000. The gap between public and private sector stakeholders has been gradually shrinking ever since. In 2013, businesses implemented 55% of expenditure or 60% if the fields of Energy and Transport are excluded (chart 45.01).

In the business sector, environmental R&D, including Energy and Transport, accounted for 8.4% (€2.6 billion) of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) by the private sector in 2013. Four branches implemented 68% of expenditure on environmental R&D and accounted for 35% of intramural business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD): ‘Manufacture of motor vehicles’, ‘Energy’, ‘Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products’ and ‘Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery’ (chart 45.02).

In 2013, the French government spent €2.1 billion on environmental R&D. Taken in its narrow sense (excluding Energy and Transport), environmental R&D absorbed 51% (€1 billion) of this expenditure. The main area of research within environmental R&D was ‘Monitoring and protecting the environment’, followed by university research into natural environments (chart 45.03).

6% of the MIRES budget allocations for R&D went towards environmental research in 2015 (chart 45.04a and chart 45.04b). Those assigned to the various objectives within this field totalled €2 billion. The Energy and Transport objectives, which include environmental considerations, accounted for 9% of budget allocations. In 2015, the French National Research Agency (ANR) and Bpifrance, together with the government departments responsible for ecology and industry, committed to providing more than €100 million in funding for R&D in environmental technologies or those that factor in environmental impacts. The French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR) contributed €139 million, most of which was devoted to training through research and university research.

Claudette-Vincent Nisslé