Industrial expenditure on the protection of the environment on the rise again in 2012

In 2012, industrial firms with 20 or more employees devoted 1.7 billion euros to investments or studies aimed at the protection of the environment. Within a comparable field and according to a comparable method, that is 7% more than in 2011. Firms whose business is likely to impact the environment contribute the most to this expenditure. The energy and chemistry sectors thus account for 44%. Over one third of the amounts invested are aimed at protecting the quality of air or at limiting greenhouse gases emissions.