BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 7

France has a distinctive position in relation to SDG 7 because it strongly defends nuclear power as a reliable, low-carbon source of electricity alongside renewable energy. France operates one of the world’s largest nuclear fleets, and in 2025 nuclear power generated 373 TWh, while nuclear and renewable sources together provided 95.2% of mainland France’s electricity generation. This gives France one of the lowest-carbon electricity systems among major industrial economies (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité [RTE], 2026). 

Unlike countries that seek to build their energy transition predominantly around renewables, France considers nuclear and renewable energy complementary. Nuclear power provides large quantities of continuous and dispatchable low-carbon electricity, while wind, solar and hydropower further diversify the electricity mix. France has consequently become one of Europe’s strongest advocates for recognising nuclear energy as an essential component of energy security, decarbonisation and strategic independence (Government of France, 2026; Presidency of the French Republic, 2024). 

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS 

France’s pro-nuclear strategy has historically generated friction with Germany and other European countries over the role of nuclear energy in the European energy transition. While France has pushed for EU policies to treat nuclear power as an important low-carbon technology, Germany phased out its final nuclear reactors in 2023 and traditionally favoured policies focused more strongly on renewable energy. However, this Franco-German disagreement has recently softened, with Germany indicating in 2025 that it would no longer oppose equal treatment of nuclear and renewable energy in certain EU legislation (Reuters, 2025). 

France is meanwhile pursuing a major nuclear revival. In March 2026, the government reaffirmed plans to construct six new EPR2 reactors at Penly, Gravelines and Bugey, with the first expected to enter service around 2038. France is simultaneously expanding renewable generation, particularly solar and wind. Its SDG 7 strategy therefore represents a distinctive European model based not on choosing between nuclear and renewables, but on combining both to create a reliable, sovereign and highly decarbonised electricity system (Presidency of the French Republic, 2026; RTE, 2026). 

LIST OF REFERENCES 

Government of France. (2026, February 12). PPE 3: La nouvelle feuille de route énergétique de la France. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.info.gouv.fr/actualite/ppe-3-la-nouvelle-feuille-de-route-energetique-de-la-france

Presidency of the French Republic. (2024, March 21). European Nuclear Alliance Leaders’ Declaration. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2024/03/21/european-nuclear-alliance-leaders-declaration

Presidency of the French Republic. (2026, March 12). Cinquième Conseil de politique nucléaire. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2026/03/12/cinquieme-conseil-de-politique-nucleaire

Réseau de Transport d’Électricité. (2026). 2025 Review - Generation. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://analysesetdonnees.rte-france.com/en/annual-review-2025/generation#Overview