[en] This report is the result of work done by a group which includes representatives of the authorities and industry (members of Entreprises pour l'Environnement (EpE) - see list in annex), which met between 14 January and 27 March. It reflects the shared opinions of the majority of the Working Group's members, and does not commit the organisations for which they work. It is one of the measures contained in the 'National programme for combating climate change' released by the government on 19 January 2000. It also fits in an international context in which experiments concerning and schemes for emission permit trading systems are being established (cf. Chapter 2). Finally, it refers in part to the 'Proposal by Entreprises pour l'Environnement (EpE) for an effective system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing sector', as well as the report of the 'Industry' Working Group established by MIES (Inter-ministerial Task Force on climate change) in the first half of 1999

[en] This study aimed at determining whether carbon sequestration in agricultural soils could contribute to the reduction of the greenhouse effect through actions aiming at cumulating carbon from agricultural origin, which were the conditions of compliance with the Kyoto protocol, which economic policy tools should be efficient to promote desirable changes, and which are research and reference needs. After an introduction that presents the problematic and the addressed issues, the report proposes an overview of the state-of-the-art of knowledge, references and available tools. It proposes a critical analysis of published results and of data obtained during agronomic tests performed in France and under similar climates, and also proposes values of storage per surface unit according to main changes in land use or envisaged agricultural practices. Then, it addresses the agronomic feasibility of changes which would allow an additional storage (under which climatic conditions, with which associated effects, and with which sustainability?). Simulations are performed to assess a global storage potential of the French metropolitan territory. Possible economic incentive tools for the promotion of additional storages are then analysed.