French President Francois Hollande has again ruled out exploration for shale gas during his presidency. The comments come as a French court was due to examine an appeal against a government ban on "fracking".
France has some of the most plentiful reserves of shale gas in Europe, but there are objections to shale exploration on environmental grounds.
"As long as I am president, there will be no exploration for shale gas in France," Mr Hollande told French TV.
France's top court was this week due to examine a challenge to the ban on fracking - the process by which shale gas is released - by Schuepbach Energy, which held two exploration permits that were cancelled when the law was passed in 2011.
TVNL Comment: How rare.... an elected official who hasn't sold out to the drillers. Wake up, America.... you're being fracked to death.
An enormous marine heatwave off the US west coast is ringing alarm bells among ocean and...
Authorities in Orange county, California have ordered the evacuation of 40,000 people over concerns about a...
More than 17,000 people were under evacuation orders in southern California on Tuesday as a wildfire...
