French ecology minister hopes to cut down on nuclear power by 2025

Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-06 23:55:19|Editor: yan
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PARIS, July 6 (Xinhua) -- French ecology minister Nicolas Hulot expressed his hopes on Thursday to meet the commitment of reducing the share of nuclear energy in the country's electricity output by 2025.

Unveiling an action plan for the country's energy transition, the environmental activist said cutting electricity generated by nuclear power to 50 percent by 2025 from the current 75 percent was France's "objective."

"I hope (the target) will be held. My wish is to engage irreversible trajectories and dynamics," Hulot told reporters.

France operates 58 reactors and has been a leading international proponent of nuclear energy. However, closing nuclear plants has been a controversial issue in the country as France is the most nuclear-energy reliant country in the world, with more than three quarters of its power coming from nuclear.

In a move to "accelerate the implementation of the Paris climate agreement," France aims to go carbon neutral by 2050, Hulot announced.

Furthermore, he pledged to phase out the sale of petrol vehicles by 2040.

To do this, the French government will offer people financial incentives to scrap their polluting vehicles -- including diesel cars dating before 1997 or petrol cars made before 2001 -- in exchange for clean units, the minister added.

In 2015, France hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP21 at which 195 member economies agreed on an accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions as a way to keep the rise of the average temperature no higher than 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

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