The adage is well known: “Do as I say, not as I do”. The energy sobriety plan that the government is calling for is a good illustration of this. While the French are told to tighten their belts, the ministers leave their cars running empty during meetings, just to keep the air conditioning cool.
On Wednesday July 20, the government called on the French to save energy, by unplugging the sockets, lowering the air conditioning, cutting off the wifi, turning off the lights and electrical appliances, etc. But these “small gestures”, besides the fact that they are far from being a miracle solution, are not even adopted by the representatives of the nation. If Elisabeth Borne wanted ministers and an administration “exemplary”not all of them planned to be:
????????????ENERGY SOBRIITY – In charge of covering the Council of Ministers at the Élysée, this afternoon, journalists were surprised to discover that the ministers’ cars remained engine on to keep the air conditioning on. Outside temperature: 28°C (E1). pic.twitter.com/4l5SL6L4uC
— ????The Globe (@TheGlobe_info) July 29, 2022
The video has circulated widely on social media. According to the Energy Revolution website, it is a habit of ministers. However, during the presentation of a roadmap for energy efforts, the Minister of Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher assured: “We must be exemplary”. For administration, the instructions were as follows: “Turn off the light, take care not to heat above 19°C and do not air-condition below 26°C, take care in organizing telework”… Not everyone must have understood, and the journalists present on the spot were indignant.
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Asked about this, Olivier Véran – now government spokesperson – thanked the journalists for pointing out this error, and even admitted that it is thanks to this type of alert that it is possible to move towards a transformation of practices: “You’re right, you have to be careful“, he began. And to continue: “From the moment we tell the French, the State, the ministries, the central and territorial administrations will set an example, we know two things: the first, that will require change, and quickly, a certain number of behaviors. And finally, every time we don’t, you won’t miss us. Well, you know what? Good, because that’s what will accelerate our behavioral changes.”.