When decarbonization rhymes with industrialization. The political dilemmas of increasing wood usage within the French construction industry.

Because the building industry is a massive contributor to GHS emissions and energy consumption, France's low carbon strategy has set it ambitious objectives: complete decarbonization by 2050. To achieve this, construction in wood (currently 10% of market share) must increase significantly. This article addresses the economic and political challenge of promoting this growth. Adopting an analytical framework combining political economy and policy analysis, we analyse 'political work' undertaken to articulate relevant industrial and climate policies. First, we show how 'a lack of competitiveness' of the wood industry has been reproblematized to reconcile this framing with climate policy objectives. Then we analyze policies which address market regulation, the supply of wood and financial investments in the wood and construction industries. Finally, we argue that today regulating the wood segment of the construction industry faces two dilemmas. A sovereignty dilemma refers to differing degrees of actor willingness to foster French wood products without hampering climatization objectives. A territorial dilemma arises concerning the pathway to industrialization built by its promoters and, in particular, how territories at 'the French margins' might benefit from this economic opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]