France to build new nuclear reactors to meet climate goals
France will start building its first new nuclear reactors in decades as part of efforts to meet its promises to reduce planet-warming emissions. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the plans Tuesday as climate negotiators in Glasgow debate how to speed up efforts against climate change. Europeans are also concerned about recent spikes in energy prices and the continent’s dependence on global gas and oil producers. France is more dependent than any other country on nuclear energy, but its reactors are aging. Nuclear energy produces much lower emissions than coal, oil or gas, but nuclear plants are very expensive to build and produce radioactive waste that remains deadly for tens of thousands of years.
