Overview

• The administrative court in Rennes ruled that current government measures are insufficient to combat nitrate-driven green algae pollution in Brittany.
• The court mandated the Brittany prefect to adopt effective controls and actions within ten months to mitigate ecological damage from agricultural nitrate runoff.
• The association Eau et Rivières de Bretagne initiated legal action in 2022, citing failures in the state’s management of nitrogen pollution.
• The court rejected the association's request for financial penalties on delays but awarded €5,000 for moral damages related to environmental harm.
• Green algae blooms, linked to over 90% agricultural sources, have plagued Brittany's coasts since 1971, emitting toxic gases as they decompose.