In its ongoing dispute with the European Commission over its lagging progress in renewable energy, France has submitted an updated climate strategy to Brussels.
This strategy falls short of increasing its ambition for wind and solar energy as required, citing the largely decarbonized nature of its energy sources due to nuclear power.
France’s Stance
For several years, France has been in a standoff with Brussels for failing to meet the 2009 targets of having 23% of renewable energy in its final energy consumption by 2020.
In December, the Commission reprimanded Paris for submitting a draft “National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan” (PNEC) that set a target of 33% renewables by 2030, instead of the 44% mandated by a 2018 directive.
Six months later, France remains firm, according to the updated version of the PNEC published Wednesday by the Commission and reviewed by AFP on Thursday.
It maintains the same renewable energy development targets and prefers to emphasize a “decarbonized” goal, which includes nuclear power, a low emitter of greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.
Future Goals and Defense
The planned trajectory “will enable France to achieve 58% of decarbonized energy in its final energy consumption” by 2030, “which fully contributes to European objectives,” Paris argues.
Regarding the 2020 target, it “will be reached in 2024 and might even be exceeded by nearly one point,” they proudly claim. “France has one of the most decarbonized energy and electricity mixes in the EU,” it further justifies.
Refusal to Purchase Renewable Energy
For this reason, the government had written to the Commission to justify its refusal to purchase “post hoc volumes of renewable energy production from other States,” as the directive allows in the case of unmet targets. France thus risks facing sanctions from the Commission.
However, taking advantage of the renewed favorability of nuclear power, it also hopes to rally other States around its efforts to replace renewable energy targets with decarbonization goals.
Overall Climate Targets
Overall, “France aims for a gross reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions by at least -50% in 2030 compared to 1990,” amounting to 270 million tons of CO2 equivalent (down from 373 MtCO2e in 2023), the updated PNEC adds.
This plan, which the government was required to submit to Brussels by June 30, is not yet final as it compiles three strategic documents still subject to public consultation: the Multiannual Energy Program (PPE), the 3rd National Low Carbon Strategy (SNBC-3), and the 3rd National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC-3). However, the timetable is now contingent on post-legislative political negotiations.