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President Sarkozy will attempt to claim leadership of the environmental movement tomorrow, but his promises of a radical, green France risk falling victim to a reluctance to raise taxes, drop speed limits or touch the country’s reliance on nuclear power.

“Carbon labels” for supermarket products and anti-pollution incentives for new cars are among ideas that are likely to be endorsed by Mr Sarkozy when he presides over the conclusion of a two-day summit of French and global experts, campaigners, business groups and other lobbies.

“Super-Sarko” promised a masterplan for a green revolution in his election campaign in the spring. The proposals endorsed by the President will be sent to parliament to become law early next year.

Al Gore, the former US VicePresident who won the Nobel Peace prize for his green advocacy this month, will be with Mr Sarkozy for the session tomorrow at the Élysée Palace. In an energy-saving gesture, the lighting at the Élysée, the Eiffel Tower and many other public buildings was switched off last night for five minutes from 7.55pm. Mr Sarkozy was in Morocco.

France, which lags in environmental protection, is likely to aim for energy self-sufficiency in all new buildings by 2020. Less likely are lower speed limits on roads. Working groups proposed dropping the top limits, of 130kmh (80mph) and 110kmh, by 10kmh but the public is heavily opposed, according to polls.

Taxes will probably be levied on foreign lorries using French roads and domestic airlines routes that are served by high-speed trains. Another likely idea is for school canteens to serve 20 per cent organic food by 2012 and for a threefold increase in the share of organic crops by 2010. However, Mr Sarkozy has disappointed campaign groups such as Greenpeace by ruling out discussion of the nuclear plants that produce 80 per cent of electricity consumed in France. His concern to avoid a new burden on the weak economy has also led him to oppose the concept of a broad carbon tax to combat climate change.

Instead he wants to promote green choice with labels that will show the “carbon footprint” of products. This will give a measure of the fossil fuel used to produce, package and ship the goods. Supermarket chains have already said that this will raise prices. He is also expected to back a scheme for penalties and bonuses on vehicle prices according to their fuel efficiency and carbon emission.

Activists are accusing Mr Sarkozy of failing to grasp that new priorities are needed for the economy. Nicolas Hulot, a television personality who is the most influential French green campaigner, urged Mr Sarkozy yesterday to back a broad carbon tax even though it was unpopular. “The main thing I expect is that a price is put on carbon. All economists are calling for it,” he said.

After his election in May, Mr Sarkozy signalled his desire for a “change of consciousness” by creating a new super-ministry, for the Environment and Sustainable Development, which groups energy and transport.

Jean-Louis Borloo, its chief since June, ranks second to François Fillon, the Prime Minister. “We have no alternative but to change the rules radically and bring about an environmental revolution,” Mr Borloo said this month when six working groups produced 30 pages of proposals.

“Our biggest challenge is to reorganise society before dwindling resources force us towards a society of restrictions,” he said. The minister, who is one of Mr Sarkozy’s most popular, cited as an example the huge success of the 20,000 self-service bicycles that were put on the streets of Paris by the socialist council in July.

The invitation to Greenpeace to help to make French policy marked a break from past hostility to the group, which has been at the forefront of the campaign against French nuclear power and weapons testing.

Campaigners have been applying polite pressure for more radical measures. Gerd Leipold, executive director of Greenpeace International, praised Mr Sarkozy’s efforts to “put sustainability at the heart of government”, but he called for real results. France should live up to its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by the year 2030, he said. The Government said this year that it would be unable to meet the target.

The working groups have also clashed over genetically modified crops, which are opposed strongly by green campaigners and those on the Left. The Sarkozy package is expected to propose a temporary freeze on the sale of genetically modified seeds pending further study. Farmers are also unhappy over likely new restrictions on the pesticides that have become a blight to wildlife and polluted the water table in some regions.

Sarkozy’s environmental blueprint

— Target:
Energy self-sufficiency in all new buildings by 2020
— Now:
Commercial energy use (kg oil per person): 4,961 UK: 4,502

— Target:
Labels showing “carbon footprint” of products
— Now
Carbon Efficiency (emissions per $GDP): 0.78 CO2 UK: 1.17CO2
Waste Generation (kgs per person per year): 360kgs UK: 480kgs

— Target:
Penalties and bonuses on vehicle prices according to emissions
— Now
CO2 emissions (thousand tonnes): 363,484 UK: 558,225
Number of cars per 1,000 people: 469 UK: 373

— Target:
New ‘super-ministry’ for Environment and Sustainable Development
— Now
Energy derived from hydro: 14% UK: 0.9%
Energy derived from nuclear: 77.1% UK: 23.7%
Energy derived from fossil fuels: 8.2% UK: 73.8%

— Target:
Triple the share of organic crops by 2010 with school canteens to serve 20% organic food by 2012
— Now
Number of hectares of organic cropland: 419,750 UK: 679,631

Sources: World Resources Institute; OECD Environmental indicators; CIA world factbook; World Bank World Development Indicators; World Values Survey

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