Under siege Macron to slow shift from nuclear

Advanced Search

The story appears on

Page A11

November 28, 2018

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Under siege Macron to slow shift from nuclear

Source: AP | 06:11 UTC+8 November 28, 2018 |

Print Edition

French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to defuse protests over rising fuel taxes by explaining his plans to wean the country off fossil fuels and promising to shift out of cheap nuclear energy more slowly.

After days of sometimes violent protests over high energy prices, Macron stuck to the small tax increases on gasoline and fuel that had prompted the popular anger. But he proposed a mechanism to regularly review the tax when global oil prices are rising.

“I have a deep understanding of the expectations and frustrations, the resentment of citizens ... Our duty is to bring a response,” Macron said.

Macron insisted he will show “no weakness” toward troublemakers who used the protests to damage businesses and clash with police — including in the heart of Paris.

“I don’t confuse thugs with fellow citizens who want to send out a message,” he said.

Outlining France's energy strategy for the next 30 years, Macron said the government will by 2035 shut down 14 nuclear reactors out of the 58 now running at 19 plants.

Yet he said France would cap the amount of electricity it derives from nuclear plants at 50 percent by 2035. That is a delay compared with the goal of 2025 set by his predecessor, Francois Hollande.

Rising energy costs anger

France depends more on nuclear energy than any other country, getting about three-quarters of its electricity from the plants. The delay on the cap would in theory help move France from fossil fuels, which Macron wants to do to fight global warming, and toward renewables without increasing the price of energy too much.

Germany saw an increase in energy prices after it started a big push from nuclear to renewable energy.

In an attempt to calm protesters in France, Macron also proposed a three-month consultation with associations and activist groups, including the so-called “yellow jackets” who have led the recent protests, about how best to handle the rising energy costs.

But Jason Herbert, a spokesman for the protesters said that Macron’s speech “didn’t meet the expectations of the yellow jackets.”

He said the consultation offer is “not enough given the urgency of the situation.”

Greenpeace said the measures “don’t accelerate the transition toward renewable energy.”

World

About Us
|
Terms of Use
|
RSS
|
Privacy Policy
|
Contact Us
|
Shanghai Call Center: 962288
|
Tip-off hotline: 52920043

沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
|
互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
|
网络视听许可证：0909346
|
广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
|
增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012

Under siege Macron to slow shift from nuclear

Email this to your friend