No new exploration licences for hydrocarbons in France

France is set to stop issuing licences for oil and gas exploration as part of a planned transition towards environmentally-friendly energy, according to the Independent.

Nicolas Hulot, France’s ecological transition minister, said a new law would be passed in the autumn. “There will be no new exploration licences for hydrocarbons,” he told BFMTV.

A famed environmental activist, Hulot has also outlined proposals to increase taxation on diesel and to speed up decisions related to curtailing pollution, according to the article in the Independent.

It is believed that any ban would be likely to trigger lawsuits from energy companies, something Hulot himself has warned against. For that reason, he stressed that change must be imposed gradually.

France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, is planning a substantial renovation programme for French homes to reduce energy consumption, cut carbon dioxide emissions, reduce energy poverty and create jobs.

Currently, around 75% of France’s electricity is currently provided by nuclear power stations, with the industry employing around 200,000 people and led by state-owned EDF.