France
Practice Relating to Rule 54. Attacks against Objects Indispensable to the Survival of the Civilian Population
France’s LOAC Summary Note (1992) provides: “It is prohibited … to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the population (foodstuffs, livestock, crops, drinking water, etc.).”
France’s LOAC Teaching Note (2000) states: “Objects indispensable to the survival of the population must absolutely be preserved (crops, livestock, foodstuffs, drinking water …).”
France’s LOAC Manual (2001) incorporates the content of Article 54(2) of the 1977 Additional Protocol I.
Upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, France stated that it
considers that paragraph 2, Article 54 does not prohibit attacks carried out for a specific purpose, with the exception of those which aim at depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to its survival and of those targeting objects which, although used by the adverse party, are not used solely for the sustenance of members of the armed forces.