France bans fracking and oil extraction in all of its territories, French parliamentarians have passed a law banning fossil fuel extraction. President Macron says he wants France to lead the world with switch to renewables by Agence France-Presse, December 20, 2017, The Guardian
France’s parliament has passed into law a ban on producing oil and gas by 2040, a largely symbolic gesture as the country is 99% dependent on hydrocarbon imports.
In Tuesday’s vote by show of hands, only the rightwing Republicans party opposed, while leftwing lawmakers abstained.
No new permits will be granted to extract fossil fuels and no existing licences will be renewed beyond 2040, when all production in mainland France and its overseas territories will stop.
Socialist lawmaker Delphine Batho said she hoped the ban would be “contagious”, inspiring bigger producers to follow suit.
France extracts the equivalent of about 815,000 tonnes of oil per year – an amount produced in a few hours by Saudi Arabia.
But centrist president Emmanuel Macron has said he wants France to take the lead as a major world economy switching away from fossil fuels – and the nuclear industry – into renewable sources.
His government plans to stop the sale of diesel and petrol engine cars by 2040 as well.
Above all the ban will affect companies prospecting for oil in the French territory of Guyana in South America, while also banning the extraction of shale gas by any means – its extraction by fracking was banned in 2011. [Emphasis added]
[Refer also to:
2015 12 31: Another Court Ruling: France will remain frac free
2014 04 05: France: Court bans US company Hess from drilling for fear of fracking and cancelled drilling permit despite the company’s promise not to frac What good is a promise? Encana promised to never frac Rosebud’s drinking water aquifers half a year after the company already had.
2014 03 04: French energy CEO of energy giant Total says ‘God willing’ France will frack
2011 07 01: France Vote Outlaws ‘Fracking’ Shale for Natural Gas, Oil Extraction
2011 06 30: France Becomes First Country to Ban Extraction of Natural Gas by Fracking
2011 05 13: France bans ‘fracking’ after months of protest ]