France bans short-haul flights to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change

France has banned short-haul flights where people are able to get a train instead, in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and curb climate change.

The ban affects journeys that can be completed by train in less than two-and-a-half hours - ruling out flights between Paris and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux.

However, connecting flights will not be impacted by the ban.

It comes a month after the UK cut tax on domestic flights, in a move that had received criticism from environmental groups.

Rishi Sunak, then-chancellor in 2021, announced that tax on domestic flights would be slashed in half, from £13 to £6.50. The change came into force this year on April 1.

France's ban was originally proposed as a stricter restriction on any journey that could be completed by train in less than four hours.

The move was discussed under France's Citizens' Convention on Climate, which was created by President Emmanuel Macron in 2019 and included 150 members of the public.

But the ban, included in 2021 climate legislation, faced fierce opposition from the aviation industry.

It was then reduced to two-and-a-half hours after objections from some regions, as well as the airline Air France-KLM.

The law also specifies that train routes must be frequent and able to meet the needs of passengers who would otherwise fly.

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