France has enacted a ban that will cut off all oil and gas production on its mainland and in all of its territories by 2040. No existing licenses in France will be renewed after 2040, and no new permits will be granted at all. The nation is currently about 99 percent dependent on hydrocarbon imports, but lawmaker Delphine Batho said she hoped the largely symbolic ban would be “contagious” in inspiring other nations to cut out fracking and oil extraction. President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants France to lead the world in transitioning away from fossil fuels.
