The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published by Transparency International, reveals a worrying reality: more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 out of 100, indicating a high level of corruption. This situation has major consequences for democracy, economic development, and, above all, the fight against the climate crisis.

Key figures of the 2024 CPI

180 countries assessed based on perceived level of corruption in the public sector.
Denmark (90), Finland (88) and Singapore (84) remain at the top of the ranking of the most honest countries.
South Sudan (8), Somalia (9) and Venezuela (10) are among the most corrupt countries.
Democratic regimes perform better with an average score of 73, compared to 33 for authoritarian regimes.

Corruption and the climate crisis: a brake on global action

The report highlights a major problem: corruption hinders the fight against climate change in several ways:

Undue influence on climate policies: Powerful lobbies are holding back the adoption of ambitious measures, prioritizing their profits to the detriment of the energy transition.
Misuse of climate funds: Lack of transparency allows for misuse of funding intended for the ecological transition.
Weakening environmental regulations: Corruption undermines the enforcement of environmental laws, facilitating the overexploitation of natural resources.
Threats to activists: More than 1,000 environmental defenders have been murdered in the past five years, mostly in highly corrupt countries.

What solutions are there to combat corruption?

Transparency International calls on governments and businesses to integrate transparency and anti-corruption mechanisms into climate and economic policies. Key recommendations include:

Strengthen sanctions and investigations against corruption.
Protect whistleblowers and environmental defenders.
Ensure transparent management of climate funds.
Implement strict regulations to limit the influence of lobbies on public decisions.

A global issue that concerns all countries

The report highlights that even countries perceived as having low levels of corruption are not exempt from risks, particularly through the influence of industrial lobbies. Combating corruption is a global challenge, requiring international cooperation and concrete action to ensure transparent and effective institutions.

And for France….

The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report, published by Transparency International, ranks France with a score of 67/100, a relatively stable but improvable position. This score places France among the countries perceived as relatively honest, but still below the best European performances such as those of Denmark (90), Finland (88) or Sweden (80).

In this context, the issue of compliance and the strengthening of anti-corruption measures is becoming more than ever a strategic issue for French companies and public authorities.

A strengthened regulatory framework, but one that still needs improvement

France has established a robust legislative framework to combat corruption, notably with the Sapin II Law (2016), which imposed strict obligations on large companies and strengthened the resources of the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA). However, several challenges remain:

The lack of transparency in the awarding of public contracts, particularly in strategic sectors such as energy or ecological transition.
The influence of lobbying, which, although better regulated, remains opaque, particularly in the development of public policies.
The financing of political life is a subject regularly under scrutiny due to flaws in the declaration of donations and potential conflicts of interest.

Transparency International's recommendations highlight the need for stronger controls and sanctions, as well as greater involvement of citizens and the media in monitoring public practices.

Corruption and environmental challenges in France

One of the major aspects of the 2024 IPC report is the link between corruption and the climate crisis. In France, several recent scandals have revealed problematic practices:

Suspicions of conflicts of interest in the allocation of subsidies linked to the energy transition.
A lack of control over the use of public funds for ecological projects, with risks of misappropriation or favoritism.
Growing influence of industrial lobbies on environmental regulations, hampering the implementation of ambitious measures.

To address this, transparency of climate finance and decision-making processes must be strengthened, particularly through the systematic publication of contracts and beneficiaries of public subsidies.

Corporate Compliance: An Essential Lever

French companies, particularly those operating internationally, are increasingly subject to strict compliance requirements, with obligations to:

Implementation of anti-corruption programs in accordance with the Sapin II law.
Strengthening due diligence systems to identify and prevent corruption risks in their commercial relations.
Increased protection for whistleblowers, whose role is crucial in detecting fraudulent practices.

The Financial Markets Authority (AMF) and the AFA play a key role in monitoring companies, but the IPC report highlights that the enforcement of sanctions remains too weak.

What recommendations for France?

The IPC 2024 report calls on France to go further in the fight against corruption, with several priority areas:

Increase the transparency of lobbying, particularly through a more detailed register of meetings between elected officials and interest representatives.
Strengthen controls on the use of public funds by imposing more systematic auditing of subsidies and public contracts.
Better protect whistleblowers by ensuring a solid legal framework and effective protection measures.
Apply more dissuasive sanctions in cases of proven corruption, both in the public and private sectors.

With a score of 67/100, France ranks in an intermediate position in the fight against corruption. While progress has been made, particularly thanks to the Sapin II law, further efforts are needed to strengthen transparency, protect public resources, and ensure exemplary governance.

In a context where compliance is becoming a strategic issue for businesses and institutions, increased vigilance and strengthened collective commitment are becoming essential to improve France's ranking in the years to come.

To find the full study : Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024