France Passes Law To Ban All Oil, Gas Production By 2040 (cbsnews.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CBS News: France's parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted. The French government claims the ban is a world first. However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported. French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the approval of the law on Twitter, saying in part: "Very proud that France has become the first country in the world today to ban any new oil exploration licenses with immediate effect and all oil extraction by 2040."

Comments

what form of government is this?

[iggymanz]

making completely symbolic bans that will not provide alternative energy, nor curtail use of fossil fuels in any way....is there a name for government by marketing shitheads?

Re:what form of government is this?

[ShanghaiBill]

Doubt it will happen

Indeed. They are already backpedaling after the marketing department had a talk with the engineers.

Re:When the resource wars start

[b0s0z0ku]

No, the French will be happily reprocessing nuclear fuel and laughing at the schmucks who are still reliant on fossil fools.

Tartuferie

[manu0601]

This is very symbolic: french does not export much oil, and the law does not curb on oil importations.

A side note: France does not burn much oil because it uses a lot of nuclear power. However french cars still use fuel for the most of them.

Re:Tartuferie

[mentil]

So you're saying we need Mr. Fusion?

Re: When the resource wars start

[b0s0z0ku]

Perfect excuse to reduce unnecessary use of plastic drastically.

Gas Production

[mentil]

In other news, gas produced by political windbags set to hold steady indefinitely.

Not for long

[Roger W Moore]

Only until they realize that there are many non-fuel related uses of oil such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, clothing/fabrics, asphalt etc. Then there is the question about how to power their aircraft.

Re:Not for long

[phayes]

Hot Air Monsieur! HOT AIR!

Our politicians here in France have hot air in abundance!

Re:Not for long

[Gravis Zero]

Only until they realize that there are many non-fuel related uses of oil such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, clothing/fabrics, asphalt etc.

Considering oil is a non-renewable source, it's better that we resolve such issues while we still have the luxury of having an abundant amount of oil. What you need to realize is that many things were developed to use oil because it was so abundant. We're making headway with plastics (see bioplastics) and that's really the biggest issue here.

Then there is the question about how to power their aircraft.

I've thought about this exact issue and my conclusion was that hydrogen fuel cells is the best alternative based on current technology. It would be more expensive but all you need is water and electricity to make what you need.

wow brave.

[gravewax]

That is the equivalent of Australia banning Polar Bear hunting or the US banning all Koala skin exports, very brave move

Sum total effect of this

[kenh]

However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported.

The sum total effect of this is that France will go from importing 99% of it's oil and gas needs to 100%, big deal.

Re:They will riot anyways and repeal it

[kenh]

What are you talking about, they said they'd stop producing oil and gas, they never said they'd stop using oil and gas.

Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell

[K. S. Kyosuke]

...at a terrible cost of keeping it liquified, for a short period of time, and with a density of only 70 kg per cubic meter. At an energy density one fourth that of jet fuel. And without any concern for fuel price (tens of dollars per kilogram).

Neither of those vehicles you mention made it into orbit without non-hydrogen propulsion. S-V needed a lot of kerosene, and the STS effectively burned a lot of rubber to get into orbit. And the reason why hydrogen was even used was the impact of Isp in the rocket equation on the efficiency of upper stages, with Isp for a rocket being effectively the exhaust velocity, which is much higher if your fuel is hydrogen rich, and there's nothing richer in hydrogen than hydrogen. Jets, however, face a completely different problem since the exhaust velocity is immaterial; they're heating lots of air with comparatively little fuel, and here's where the 25% energy density of hydrogen bites you in the ass: even at massive Isps allowed for by pushing lots of mildly hot air around, the constant drag means that you need a lot of fuel for long-distance flights. Now multiply the tank volume by four. And, oh, add insulation for a 250 K temperature differential between the airplane skin and the tank...

So, they're shutting off oil production in Gabon?

[SEE]

Oh, wait, I forgot, we're all supposed to pretend Gabon's independent.

Sure, French relations with Gabon are still managed out of the old colonial office rather than from the ministry of foreign affairs, and France's treasury backs their currency, and there are a bunch of French troops permanently stationed in the country, and (now deceased) Gabonese president Omar Bongo said "Gabon without France is like a car with no driver. France without Gabon is like a car with no fuel." But Gabon is an independent country, you bet.