France Spent €1 Billion on Disaster Prevention as Auditors Urge Better Targeting

France's natural-disaster prevention fund spent €1 billion between 2021 and 2025, the Cour des comptes said in a report published on 5 November 2026, calling for better targeting of aid and stronger monitoring of funded projects.

The Fonds de prévention des risques naturels majeurs, known as the Fonds Barnier, had €287 million in payment appropriations for 2025. The auditors said most spending benefited local authorities. They praised the fund's usefulness for protecting people and the improvement in management after it entered the national budget in 2021.

The auditors nevertheless recommended that aid be targeted more closely to communities' exposure to natural hazards and financial capacity. They also urged harmonised conditions, improved monitoring of projects and stronger coordination with land-use rules. They called for clearer cost-sharing among the state, local authorities, insurers and beneficiaries.

A separate French Senate finance report, submitted in November 2025, compared €287.4 million in 2025 payment appropriations with €228.8 million proposed for 2026, a proposed 20.4% decrease. These figures describe the draft budget considered at that time, not actual 2026 expenditure or a verified final allocation. The €1 billion cited by the audit court is five years of cumulative expenditure, not a budget request, financial loss or fraud finding.

Government guidance explains that the fund can support flood-prevention studies, protective works, the acquisition of properties in highly exposed areas and other measures for municipalities, residents and small firms. The audit court did not say the €1 billion had been stolen or misappropriated. It identified ways to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of spending as risks increase.

A meaningful follow-up would examine the government's response, final 2027 appropriations and evidence that local projects have delivered measurable protection.

Primary record: https://www.ccomptes.fr/fr/publications/le-fonds-de-prevention-des-risques-naturels-majeurs-0 Senate budget comparison: https://www.senat.fr/rap/l25-139-310-1/l25-139-310-1_mono.html Ministry explanation: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/financement-prevention-risques-naturels-hydrauliques