Macron pledges €30bn to re-industrialise and decarbonise France
French president Emmanuel Macron has unveiled a €30bn plan to re-industrialise France, pledging funds to a string of sectors from across green energy to robotics.
The plan, dubbed ‘France 2030’, has placed a renewed focus on decarbonising French industry, as the country looks to become a leader in green hydrogen.
Speaking at the Elysee Palace, Macron said France had taken key decisions “15 to 20 years later than some of our European neighbours” and now needed “to become a nation of innovation and research again”.
“I want us to look ahead and see our weaknesses and strengths. We need the country to produce more,” he added.
The pledge comes six months ahead of a presidential election and just weeks away from the UN’s flagship climate conference COP26.
The country is looking to build building small reactors for its green hydrogen ambitions.
But alongside green hydrogen, Macron intends to invest the funds over five years in other energy sources like nuclear and renewables, as well as semiconductors, electric cars, and robotics.