France — Taking a zigzag path

Abstract

France gets 78 percent of its electricity from nuclear plants, the highest rate in the world. Its reliance on nuclear energy has slowed the progress of renewable energy in its generation mix. Recent efforts to improve the country’s competitiveness in green technology were given a blow in 2010 when the government was forced to drop its key environmental goal of setting up a carbon emissions tax to limit the growth of emissions and spur the development of renewable energies. Although green growth garners a lot of attention, it is not yet a reality for the vast majority of French companies. They tend to be skeptical of growth forecasts in the industry, and lack the sort of financial incentives that could encourage investment. Yet companies in the waste management and energy- efficiency sectors pack a powerful punch, and France’s green services sector is strong. Moreover, the country is home to two of the world’s largest water management companies