CLEW Guide 鈥� France awaits key climate legislation, government keeps focus on nuclear

17 May 2024, 14:30

Camille Lafrance Juliette Portala

CLEW Guide 鈥� France awaits key climate legislation, government keeps focus on nuclear

Despite a set of fresh new decarbonisation goals published last year, starting with the progressive phaseout of fossil fuels, France seems more focused on deploying new nuclear reactors 鈥� which will likely cost more than expected 鈥� than making up for the gap between the development of its clean energy sources and those of other countries in the European Union. Whether the development pace is too slow for some or the targets not ambitious enough for others, the EU executive is keeping France under close watch. The government pledged to pursue its efforts in adapting to climate change with a series of proposals set to be adopted mid-2024. This regularly updated factsheet provides an overview of France's efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.听[UPDATES throughout]

Photo by Mat Napo on Unsplash.

With its 鈥淐LEW Guide鈥� series, the 暗网福利app newsroom and contributors from across Europe are providing journalists with a bird's-eye view of the climate-friendly transition from key countries and the bloc as a whole. You can also sign up to the weekly newsletter here to receive our "Dispatch from..."听鈥� weekly updates from Germany, France, Italy, Croatia, Poland and the EU on the need-to-know about the continent鈥檚 move to climate neutrality.

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Content:

Key background

Major transition stories

Sector overview

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*** Please note: You can find a full dossier exploring Franco-German approaches to climate and energy policy and effects on the EU here.***

Key background

France, like all other EU member states, is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which accounted for in 2022, with oil accounting for 30 percent and natural gas for 15 percent. Coal plays a minor role.
According to the French environment ministry鈥檚 independent emissions reporting organisation , the country in 2023 by 4.8 percent compared to 2022. The saw a drop in emissions following 鈥渁 return to normal鈥� with the recommissioning of temporarily closed nuclear power plants bringing an additional 41.5 TWh to the grid and, to a lesser extent, thanks to higher hydro (+9.2 TWh) as well as wind and solar power generation (+15.2 TWh for the two sources combined).听
After being on the back of unstable nuclear output, France became , again showing its role as a key electricity producer in the 27-member bloc.
With around two thirds of France鈥檚 electricity being produced by nuclear power, the emissions intensity of the country鈥檚 energy sector is lower than those of several other European countries, such as Germany.
A combination of infrastructural issues at its nuclear power plants and the energy crisis last year pushed the government to move ahead with and . In January, the French government that the country needed to build more than 14 new nuclear plants 鈥� compared to the six planned so far.
The French government is expected to adopt mid-2024 a set of new laws that will constitute its roadmap to reach carbon neutrality and adapt to climate change. It however came under fire when it said that it would , while experts found that France鈥檚 to meet EU rules. EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson urged France in February to 鈥溾€� regarding gross final energy consumption by 2030 and specify clear targets in its .
NGOs also revealed that France was Europe鈥檚 largest supporter of large-scale , with since 2015 to firms operating the largest projects.
Launched in 2021, the country鈥檚 54-billion-euro investment plan, , aims at improving the competitiveness of its industry, encourage investments and innovation and support the low-carbon transition, amid other priorities.
France a green industry bill in autumn, which at increasing finance for the green industry, facilitate and accelerate the setup of new industries, and develop brownfield sites, as well as making public procurement greener.听A green industry investment tax credit () was also created as part of the package.

Graph: CLEW/Narawad.

Major transition stories

Fossil fuels 鈥� According to data by French NGOs Data for Good and 脡claircies, France is Europe鈥檚 largest supporter of , and 鈥� with 鈥� behind only China and the United States globally.
Climate protests 鈥� Climate protests in France have been deemed , which led the French government to say there were risks of public safety following in early 2023. The top French court however of environmental activist group 鈥淟es Soul猫vements de la Terre,鈥� which the government had previously ordered . Plans for in the Gironde region triggered new protests, as did government plans for the merger of the two bodies responsible for overseeing France鈥檚 nuclear power plants (ASN and IRSN) into a single organisation.
Energy 鈥� Following on from national efforts to , the government proposed an across all sectors to ensure further savings (e.g. higher penalties for high-emitting vehicles, speed reductions on highways, or limiting interior temperatures in buildings). However, France cut 1 billion euros of funds from an energy-sufficiency renovation scheme in early 2024.
Decarbonisation strategy 鈥� In September 2023, the government with a view to reducing the country鈥檚 emissions based on sufficiency, energy efficiency measures, and the deployment of nuclear and renewable energy. That includes to increase annual public funding from the national budget to finance the transition to a total of 40 billion euros in 2024, and the pledge to end coal power by 2027. The roadmaps which together constitute France鈥檚 future energy and climate strategy 鈥� that is to say its (SNBC), the PPE 2024-2035, the new planning law (LPEC) and the country鈥檚 adaptation plan to climate change (PNACC) 鈥� are expected to be adopted mid-2024.
Adaptation strategy 鈥� Following a series of heatwaves, floods, wildfires and droughts in recent years, France rebooted its climate change impacts adaptation strategy to include proposals for adaptation to 4 degrees Celsius of warming, the sign that the government is ready to prepare for the worst.
Environmental health 鈥� across France this year to express their anger over what they see as a poor quality of life, intensified their demonstrations over the , which would result in as member states must introduce environmental measures on a fifth of their land and sea by 2030. In January 2024, the EU executive proposed and a month later, France鈥檚 prime minister Gabriel Attal announced a series of measures to ease the agriculture sector鈥檚 concerns, including on . Meanwhile, the government鈥檚 released in November 2023 .
Sustainable finance 鈥� In October, French legislators from compulsory measures which were part of the government鈥檚 green industry bill adopted in autumn and would have made France to require listed companies to consult their shareholders on their climate strategies through such resolutions.
Investment programme 鈥� The government plans to invest half of its aimed at improving its industrial competitiveness for the energy and ecological transition . According to a survey by Business France, the nation maintained last year its economic attractiveness to international investors, who poured money that directly aimed at decarbonising its economy.

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Sector overview

Graph: CLEW/Narawad.

Energy

The sector is for about 11 percent of total GHG emissions.
in 2022: 63 percent from nuclear, 13 percent wind and solar, 11 percent hydropower, 10 percent gas.
After recording historic losses due to numerous shutdowns at its nuclear plants that sent France鈥檚 output to a 33-year low in 2022, state-owned utility firm EDF bounced back with , fuelled by a substantial hike in nuclear generation.
Former French energy minister Agn猫s Pannier-Runacher鈥檚 could together have a nuclear power plant capacity of up to 150 GW capacity by 2050. France, which in January a long-term nuclear cooperation deal with Sweden to facilitate the construction of new reactors, reiterated calls for the EU executive to put in the bloc鈥檚 policies at a time when the country plans to build . At home, utility firm EDF and the government that will allow the group to sell its nuclear power after the existing 42 euros/MWh .
In November 2023, the government its to public consultation. Among the main points, France plans to in its final energy consumption to 42 percent in 2030 and 29 percent in 2035 for a full phase-out in 2050. In contradiction, French banks continue to heavily finance , NGOs say.
is expected to set the following objectives: a reduction in national energy consumption by 30 percent by 2030 from 2012 levels, and by 40 to 50 percent by 2050 from 2021 levels; an exit from coal in 2027 and from fossil fuels in 2050; and an increase in electricity output by 10 percent in 2030 and by 55 percent in 2050, as well as the doubling of low-carbon heat production by 2035 from 2021 levels.
When it comes to , the government plans to hike solar power capacity from 16 GW currently to 54-60 GW in 2030 and 75-100 in 2035; for onshore wind, from 21 GW currently to 33-35 GW in 2030 and 40-45 GW in 2035; for offshore wind, from 0.5 GW currently to 4 GW in 2030 and 18 GW in 2035. , an increase from 10.5 TWh/year currently to 50 TWh in 2030 and 50-85 TWh in 2035 is planned. Hydroelectric capacity is set to be raised from 26 GW currently to 29 GW in 2035; for renewable heating and cooling, from 183 TWh currently to 299 TWh in 2030 and 330-421.5 TWh in 2035. In total, France expects to produce 560 TWh of decarbonised electricity annually between 2030 and 2035, against 463 TWh currently. Total final energy consumption should hit 1,209 TWh in 2030 and some 1,100 TWh in 2035, against 1,611 TWh in 2021.
The French government a windfall tax on power producers鈥� revenues until the end of the year. According to sector experts, however, the move threatens to .
France a leader in low-carbon hydrogen production. The upcoming energy plan PPE could set a target for and 10 GW in 2035. The government previously said that it planned to and introduce tenders for new electrolysis development in 2024. Industry experts have however warned that .
The government also renewed its focus on electrifying transport with .
Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine and cuts to imports of Russian fossil fuels have compelled France to find alternative sources of energy, including renewables. However, despite a continued reduction in gas consumption 鈥� which 2023, the conflict pushed the government to to secure gas supplies. France in 2022/2023 鈥� between January and July 2023, Russia was the , behind the United States at 43.9 percent.
In 2023, France overtook Sweden as , at 50.1 TWh net exports. In 2022, the country was due to an unstable nuclear output.
France鈥檚 two remaining coal-fired plants, which the country fired back up last year will operate until the end of 2024 for than the 1,300-hour ceiling initially authorised in order to avoid winter blackouts. This is permitted by a relaxation of GHG standards. The government plans .
Following a in January, Christophe B茅chu minister for the ecological transition. Energy Transition Minister Agn猫s Pannier-Runacher鈥檚 portfolio, however, passed on to current and future finance, economy and industry minister Bruno Le Maire鈥檚 department. The decision sparked worries among environmental groups which say that when there should be a unified approach.

Industry

The sector is for about 18 percent of total GHG emissions.
France鈥檚 most energy-intensive industries include . In 2021, the government published a series of to reduce emissions by 26 percent between 2015 and 2030 for the chemical sector, by 24 percent for cement, and by 31 percent for mining and metallurgy. In November 2023, France also managed to have to collectively cut their emissions by at least 45 percent by 2030.
As part of efforts to decarbonise its industry, the French government intends to and ensure competitive conditions for national startups and large companies. The sector must diminish emissions .
In March 2024, the country signed a bilateral agreement with Denmark to establish . France estimates that carbon capture, storage and reuse could help decarbonise its industry, , and between 15 and 20 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050.
France鈥檚 green industry bill, which was adopted in autumn, aims to for green hydrogen, battery production, wind power, heat pumps and solar panels. Inspired by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the bill includes a tax credit designed to from 2024.
The European Commission has approved to decarbonise its industry and develop renewable energies.

Buildings

The sector is for about 16 percent of total GHG emissions.
As part of its new decarbonisation roadmap, the government intends to and develop low-carbon operation of buildings.
Launched in 2018, France鈥檚 energy renovation plan for buildings, , is spurring consumers to renovate their homes to reduce energy bills and increase energy efficiency. In its latest , the government set an objective of 200,000 annual energy-efficient renovations from 2024, then 900,000 each year by 2030. Energy consumption of commercial buildings is set to be decreased by 40 percent by 2030 and by 60 percent by 2050. But some fear that the government鈥檚 recently announced decisions could hamper the progress made in cutting buildings鈥� emissions.
On the other hand, non-residential buildings with a car park of over twenty spaces will be obligated to install charging stations for EVs by January 1st, 2025. The also requires that outdoor car parks are partly covered by solar panels, depending on their surface. A wider regulation was adopted in March by the European Parliament, which will require the installation of solar panels on buildings across the EU.
The government finally plans to over the next four years.

Mobility

The sector is for about 32 percent of total GHG emissions.
France plans . In efforts to on-shore more manufacturing capacity, the government inaugurated the by Automotive Cells Company (ACC) in 2023. Its听 will be over 13 GWh by the end of 2024, before rising to 40 GWh by 2030.
As part of its new , the French government is seeking to (including heavy vehicles) by decarbonising materials and components, increasing subsidies for domestic output, allowing tax reductions around industrial sites, and .
The government has announced 30 million euros in funding for as part of France 2030. One of them, led by , was targeting a capacity of 10,000 tonnes in 2023.
The country, which plans to support the adoption of EVs through a financial incentive to switch from combustion engine to electric cars , is looking to further develop low-carbon liquid fuels, biogas, electricity, and hydrogen to decarbonise its heavy vehicle fleet. In May 2023, the French government where train alternatives exist; , arguing that it will only have minimal effects on France鈥檚 total carbon emissions.
France will invest in the coming years to and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), in addition to planning to build the first low-carbon plane by 2030.

Agriculture

The sector is for about 19 percent of total GHG emissions.
Since the start of 2024, across France to express their anger over what they see as a poor quality of life mainly due to heavy workloads and competitiveness-linked constraints that they say translate into low incomes; but also their overexposure to pesticides and overall environmental degradation. Farmers intensified their protests over the , which would result in as member states are required to introduce environmental measures on a fifth of their land and sea by 2030. In January 2024, the EU executive proposed to answer French farmers鈥� woes about related income losses; by member states. In February, France鈥檚 prime minister Gabriel Attal announced a series of measures to ease the agriculture sector鈥檚 concerns, including on .

In a group letter, more than 100 scientists said that the French government鈥檚 proposals to end the farmers鈥� protests were 鈥溾€� as they underlined the importance of reconciling the needs for food of the population with the preservation of biodiverse ecosystems.
The French government is discussing (PLOAA) by 2040 in a bid to ensure that new generations are able to adapt to climate change and to the agro-ecological transition.
France also expects the to help reduce the sector鈥檚 emissions.

Land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF)

The sector of about 14 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020.
on the construction of new livestock and poultry farms.
The in France has halved in 10 years. According to the government, the country needs to to adapt its forests to climate change.
In June 2023, the Acad茅mie des Sciences provided .

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Dossiers

This Factsheet is part of the following Dossiers:

Climate and energy high on the agenda in run up to 2024 EU parliament elections

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