France on Wednesday said a climate agreement reached at COP28 was a victory including for its endorsement of nuclear power, of which Paris is a major advocate.
“The COP28 agreement that has just been adopted is a victory for multilateralism and climate diplomacy,” French Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said in Dubai.
“Now we need to put in place a plan to exit fossil fuels and we will be attentive to this,” she said.
She praised the inclusion of nuclear energy, which is carbon-friendly but has long raised other concerns among environmentalists including on waste disposal and risks of accidents.
“For the first time, the text at several points mentions the contribution of nuclear energy in the fight against climate change. This is a historic recognition and a diplomatic victory for France,” she said.
