While waiting to work on the five-year planning law on energy and climate, which must be adopted in the first half of 2023, the Prime Minister wants her government to set an example. In a circular addressed to her ministers, Tuesday July 26, Elisabeth Borne asked “exemplary” administrations in terms of energy saving, with a series of measures aimed at “reducing energy consumption and accelerating the exit from fossil fuels”.
“International Tensions” generated in particular by the war in Ukraine “as well as the unavailability of part of the French nuclear fleet imposes an unprecedented effort on us in terms of energy sobriety”explains the Prime Minister, responsible for energy planning, in this circular, of which Agence France-Presse (AFP) obtained a copy.
“These measures are necessary, not only to improve our energy sobriety, but also for the sake of setting an example and acceptability of the efforts that are required of society as a whole”explains the head of government.
The government recently announced that it wants to reduce energy consumption in France by 10% within two years compared to 2019.
“Exemplary”
Public administrations, ministries, decentralized State services, public operators, and establishments open to the public are thus requested to use the air conditioning only when the interior temperature exceeds 26 degrees Celsius (°C), not to leave the devices electronics on standby, and to systematically turn off the lights when they are not needed.
The Prime Minister also asks the administrations to equip the buildings with thermostats, to activate the heating only when the temperature of the offices is lower than 19°C, to close the access doors of the buildings receiving the public when the air conditioning or the heating is on.
In terms of travel, Mr.me Borne also wants to “encouraging sustainable mobility practices” such as carpooling, shared bikes and access to electric or very low-emission vehicles.
Blurred outlines
Finally, it asks the administrations to propose “ministerial plans for energy sobriety and exemplarity”. Any difficulty in implementing these measures may be reported to the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, and the Minister for Transformation and the Public Service, Stanislas Guerini.
Mme Pannier-Runacher announced on Sunday, in the Sunday newspaperforthcoming decrees to force air-conditioned stores to close their doors and reduce illuminated advertising, but the contours of which, concerning advertising, remain unclear.