France to ban oil, gas exploration

France is to stop granting new licences for oil and gas exploration on the mainland and in overseas territories, Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot said.

“There will be no new exploration licences for hydrocarbons, we will pass the law this autumn,” Hulot said on BFMTV.

President Emmanuel Macron said during his election campaign in February that he was opposed to exploration for gas and shale gas in mainland France.