Dispatch from France | November '25
*** Our weekly Dispatches provide an overview of the most relevant recent and upcoming developments for the shift to climate neutrality in selected European countries, from policy and diplomacy to society and industry. For a bird's-eye view of the country's climate-friendly transition, read the respective 'Guide to'. ***
Stories to watch in the weeks ahead
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Energy plan on hold – Several years into negotiations led by many different governments, France’s multiannual energy programme, also known as PPE 3, is still pending final publication. Set to guide its energy production and consumption policies from 2025-2035, the energy roadmap has already been pushed back for over a year amid strong political tensions around the project, particularly between proponents of nuclear power and others who favour wind and solar. By delaying changes in the energy strategy, France’s never-ending political crisis has also created uncertainty over government support for the offshore wind sector, which is now bracing for a slowdown. In early November, economy minister Roland Lescure, a close ally of president Emmanuel Macron and someone widely regarded as pro-nuclear, said that the energy plan was “at the top of the priority list” for both the energy minister and the prime minister.
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Nuclear financing in danger – Following concerns by the French Court of Auditors over the financial health and long-term financing capacity of French state-owned utility firm EDF, EU auditors have pointed to major risks linked to changes to the scope and milestones of the international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject ITER, which is based in France. Added to inflation and supply chain pressures, the new baselines for ITER are estimated to cost an additional 4.2 billion euros in EU contributions. Europe has taken the lead in this project with a 45 percent stake of the construction costs, of which 80 percent is funded from the EU budget and 20 percent by France.
The latest from France – last month in recap
- COP30 commitments – At the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, the French government committed to the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change as part of efforts to fight climate disinformation. France is also one of the main contributors to the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, as it pledged to spend up to 500 million euros until 2030 on the initiative, which was launched at the summit to incentivise the conservation and expansion of tropical forests. At the same time, France was accused of “rolling out the red carpet” for fossil fuel lobbyists at the summit. While the EU Commission did not bring any big emitters, nine member states brought a combined 84 fossil fuel lobbyists. France had the largest fossil fuel delegation among member states, with 22 lobbyists in total, followed by Sweden (18) and Italy (12).
- TotalEnergies under fire – French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies was embroiled in several controversies over the past few weeks. For starters, CEO Patrick Pouyanné was forced to defend his presence at COP30 after the government invited him to be part of the official French delegation (see above). Critics interpreted his inclusion as a sign that France’s economic interests continue to take precedence over safeguarding the climate. The company is also being accused by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights of complicity in war crimes, torture and enforced disappearance over the so-called “container massacre” in 2021 at its Mozambique liquefied natural gas plant, which the company recently lifted force majeure on. French prosecutors launched a probe earlier this year into accusations of involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist persons in danger during the attack. On top of all this, a Belgian farmer is suing TotalEnergies for damage caused by climate change, in another lawsuit backed by environmental organisation Greenpeace. Meanwhile, the company was castigated by the French government for previously announced plans to invest some 10.5 billion dollars in Suriname to exploit oil and gas reserves. On a related note, TotalEnergies will spend 5.1 billion euros for a 50 percent stake in energy firm EPH’s mostly natural-gas-fired power plants, controlled by Czech industrialist Daniel Kretinsky. The transaction is expected to more than double its net gas generation capacity.
- Medium climate performer – While France climbed four spots in this year’s Climate Change Performance Index, experts do not expect the country to meet its legally binding emissions reduction targets in line with the EU’s timeframe. Among areas of concern, the report names France’s “unwavering and strong connection with its influential enterprises in the fossil fuel industry” and its “repeated failure to bring down emissions in key sectors”, such as transportation.
Juliette’s picks – highlights from upcoming events and top reads
- France’s largest rewilding project takes root in the Dauphiné Alps: In a report for environmental news site Mongabay, freelance journalist Marlowe Starling dives into non-profit organisation Rewilding Europe’s project to foster an environment in a part of the French Alps where wild horses, alpine ibex, roe deer, vultures, Eurasian lynx and wolves can thrive. The rewilding project is expected to make ecosystems more resilient to climate change.
- Grappling with accelerating climate risks: is it time to explore research into Solar Radiation Modification?: In this recording of an Euractiv event, experts discuss the controversial aspects of Solar Radiation Modification, a large-scale approach to cooling the planet by boosting the reflection of sunlight back into space. It is well worth a listen.
- Inside COP: Protests at COP30 – and the reality of Indigenous representation: In their Outrage + Optimism podcast, hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore how the voices of Indigenous people, some of whom staged a peaceful protest during COP30, can receive more attention, and how their leaders can move from a symbolic inclusion to a meaningful influence in climate policymaking.
