The country of France is the latest European nation to back out of a controversial energy treaty on Friday. The treaty is believed to be incompatible with the Paris climate accord.
President Emmanuel Macron revealed that France would be withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty on the sidelines of the European Council summit in Brussels.
“We have decided to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, first because it’s in line with the positions we’ve taken, notably the Paris Accord and what it implies,” he said at a press conference.
“The war on European soil must not make us forget our climatic requirements and our imperative to reduce CO2 emissions,” he added.
The Energy Charter Treaty was signed in 1994 and has more than 50 signatories, including the European Union, and is meant to promote “international cooperation in the energy sector.”
Previously, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, and Germany had all backed away from the treaty. Italy was the first to back out in 2016 after it felt the treaty wasn’t in the best interests of the industry.
The Dutch climate minister believes that the treaty can prove harmful to fossil fuels. Macron’s decision may prove detrimental to the French car industry but can open doors to collaboration between European countries when it comes to the climate.
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