BIO 340 Final Project: A Comparative Analysis of German and French Energy Policy

Adam Garies - Environmental Biology ‘28 European energy systems have undergone rapid transformation over the past two decades, with countries adopting different strategies to reduce carbon emissions. This divergence is particularly evident between Germany and France. Following the Fukushima disaster in 2011, Germany accelerated its nuclear phase-out, while France has declared its commitment to nuclear energy. Nuclear energy however, is an important step towards reducing carbon emissions. Excluding nuclear energy from energy plans will lead to a rise in reliance on potent fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, resulting in greater carbon emissions, even with an emphasis on expanding renewable energy. Here I will compare how differences in their nuclear energy policy relate to renewable energy supply, natural gas supply, and produced carbon emissions. I expect that Germany’s post-2011 nuclear phase-out is associated with faster growth in natural gas supply compared to France, and that this transition contributes to a steeper rise in carbon emissions over time. I also expect both countries to experience a steep rise in renewable energy. BIO 340 final project