The majority-right Senate on Wednesday adopted the first reading of the flagship article in the energy and climate bill, which defines the country's energy policy objectives, declaring "the ecological and climatic emergency". Article 1, which started on Tuesday evening, was adopted by show of hands.
Carbon neutrality by 2050
Among the objectives set, it plans to reach "carbon neutrality" by 2050. This principle implies not to emit more greenhouse gases than the country can absorb through forests or soils. To do this, France will have to divide its greenhouse gas emissions by a factor of more than six compared to 1990. The text provides for a 40% reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels by 2030, compared to 30 % previously.
PS and communist senators have tried unsuccessfully to achieve more ambitious goals, advocating that France divides by 8 its greenhouse gas emissions. In spite of the opposition of the government, the senators validated additional objectives introduced in committee: at least 27,5 GW of hydropower in 2028, in particular resulting from the "small hydropower", development of at least 1 GW per year of offshore wind, settled and floating, until 2024 and 8% biogas in 2028 to ensure that the target of 10% in 2030 will be well maintained.
The postponement from 2025 to 2035 of the objective of reducing the share of nuclear energy
The government is in favor of the development of offshore wind, but the goal of the Senate is not "accessible in the short term," according to Secretary of State Emmanuelle Wargon. In response to a question from Senator PS of the Aude Roland Courteau, she indicated that a park was planned in southern Brittany and "two new parks" in the South and Occitan region. Regarding small hydropower, Emmanuelle Wargon said the government had issued a call for tenders to unlock 350 MW and promised a "work" with Parliament on the file.
The bill also ratifies the 2025 to 2035 postponement of the objective of reducing the share of nuclear power in French electricity production to 50%, compared with more than 70% today. Against the opinion of the government and of the commission, the Senate adopted a series of identical amendments, carried by senators of the radical-majority, PS, centrist, communist-majority and independent RDCS groups, planning to set carbon budgets by the framework law of the Multiannual Energy Program (EPP) and not by decree, as planned today.