The French government has decided to take steps to save energy, including banning illuminated ads at night, amid rising prices and the war in Ukraine.
In this regard, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Energy Transition said that the steps include banning illuminated advertisements at night, except for train stations and airports, and preventing stores from keeping their doors open when the air conditioning or heating is turned on; She said in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche that this would allow companies to reduce energy bills by 20%.
According to the chief economist of the country’s treasury, French economic policy must shift to meet the challenges of climate change for industry and employment, and focus less on the Covid-19 pandemic.
That plan comes after Emmanuel Macron warned during a Bastille Day interview earlier this month that efforts were needed to cut consumption.
Macron, who once criticized the “austerity model” of those promoting energy austerity to tackle climate change, accused Russia of using gas supplies as a weapon.
At the same time, the government is considering additional fuel subsidies amid rising prices at gas stations. “In the medium term, we must support the French in their energy transition, but in the short term, we must adapt to reality,” said Pannier-Runacher.
It is noteworthy that the European Union has proposed to reduce gas consumption by 15% over the next eight months.
On Sunday, the minister renewed the goal of reducing energy use by 40% by 2050 and by 10% before 2024, thanks to rationalization, energy efficiency, renewables and nuclear energy.
While France is less dependent on Russian gas than some of its neighbors, it has been hampered by problems with its nuclear plants, which provide more than half of the country’s energy.
Activate contingency plans during the summer
Macron urged businesses, citizens and local administrations to work on contingency plans during the summer to avoid a difficult winter as Europe grapples with its worst energy supply crisis in decades.
Runacher also urged companies to promote lower road speeds to save fuel consumption. The country’s stricter speed limits, as well as the imposition of a fuel tax, contributed to the emergence of the popular yellow vest movement in 2018.
