Environment & Innovation

France says no to coal based power. To shut down all Coal Power Plants by 2023

Pollution due to coal based power plants is not a new phenomenon. The majority of power plants in India are coal based causing significant air pollution. At a time when our country is in need of power as well as pollution free environment, France has set a remarkable example.

As per the announcement by President Francois Hollande, France will close its remaining coal power plants by 2023. France already derives over 75% of its electricity from nuclear fission.

At an annual UN climate change conference, this announcement was made. Several world leaders came together at the conference to find solutions to the environmental problems.

Full Force Plan

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At this year’s UN climate change conference in Marrakech, Morocco, France’s president Francois Hollande announced that all coal power plants in the country will be shut down by 2023. He also acknowledged United States president Barack Obama’s role to create the Paris agreement. Last year, 175 countries signed the Paris agreement. They vowed to reduce carbon emissions significantly through the best scientific options.

He said that the Paris agreement is “irreversible”. He hoped U.S. will honor the commitment made in the treaty. The US president-elect Donald Trump is reportedly looking to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement.

Already deriving over 75 percent of its electricity from nuclear fission, France has a reputation for working against climate change. Nuclear fission is a power source with fewer health and environmental effects in comparison to fossil fuels. France is also the world’s largest net exporter of electricity due to its very low cost of generation. The country gains over €3 billion each year from this.

Need For a Global Movement

This statement by President Francois Hollande says a lot about how serious France is to make radical changes for saving our environment. Earlier this year, France released a roadmap. It stated their goals through an energy transition law. In September, France passed a bill to ban the use of conventional plastic in disposables like cups, cutlery, and dishware starting 2020. France is the first country in the world to impose such a law.

Many world leaders echoed France’s movement at the conference. India has also ratified the Paris Climate change deal on Gandhi Jayanti this year.

As the consequences of climate change are dangerous, we need to vow to meet such hard deadlines through Paris Agreement on Climate Change deal. Also, India can set a good precedent for the rest of the world by executing the deal.