France: Hard Choices as Macron Charts Energy Future

Local Editor

French President Emmanuel Macron earned global plaudits for pledging to "Make our planet great again," but he faces a moment of truth at home Tuesday in presenting his multi-year roadmap for the country’s transition to cleaner energy.

The 10-year blueprint comes as Macron is facing fractious "yellow vest" protests by French citizens' angry over a string of yearly fuel tax increases to finance green initiatives, which Macron has indicated will continue.

Yet environmental advocates are also wary after the government last year walked back on a commitment to reduce French reliance on nuclear energy.

It was one of several bones of contention that cost Macron his wildly popular environment minister Nicolas Hulot, who quit earlier this year over the president's green record.

"They didn't listen to me, they cited budgetary limits," Hulot said on French television last week, recounting how he advocated more financial aid to help people cope with the costs of cutting pollution.

Had Macron done so, the "yellow vest" protests would have been "avoidable," Hulot added.

Macron is expected to address the protests Tuesday while laying out his energy priorities for the coming years.

Officials have already indicated he will announce the closure of France's four remaining coal-fired power plants, part of a pledge to get 40 percent of France's electricity needs from renewable energy sources by 2030.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team