Insee Focus · June 2022 · n° 269

Due to Covid-19 crisis, investments aimed at protecting the environment decreased in 2020

In 2020, industrial establishments employing at least 20 workers pledged 1.6 billion euros to fund investments or studies aimed at protecting environment, a 5% decrease compared with 2019 (following +22% between 2017 and 2019). 20% of establishments couldn’t carry out investments or studies because of the health crisis whereas 2% of establishments took advantage of the crisis to initiate new ones. Among the unrealised projects, 15% were abandoned.

In 2020, environmental spendings decreased in most of sectors particulary in the energy sector (-17%) following a sharp increase (+44%) in 2019. However environmental spendings increased for agriculture, chemistry and pharmacy.