trying to reduce Energy consumptionSeveral young French people are acrobatically turning off the lights of stores in the capital Paris at night, a trend that has recently gone viral on social media.

A parkour group makes their way between shops and restaurants at night, with the aim of reducing light pollution and energy consumption in the city.

“Seeing a bunch of banners lit up at night is beyond us,” says Kevin Ha, a member of the group. “For us environmental activists, these steps allow us to move from words to action,” he continues. The group’s initiative was praised by the local population.

Some members believe that taking these steps is a process that requires flexibility and determination and that ownership must be respected.

Ha insists the movement is to help, not the other way around, stressing that “we are not a malicious movement”.

Turn off the lights

In 2013, France passed a new law requiring stores to turn off their lights between 1 am and 6 am, under penalty of a €750 fine.

When this law came into force, it was expected that around 250,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide would be saved, equivalent to the energy of 750,000 French homes a year.

However, there was no real commitment on the part of the tenants.

Initially, the law only covered cities and towns with a population of less than 800,000, but the French government announced this week that it will extend the law to all parts of the country.

While group members emphasize that they cannot turn off the lights in every store every night, they hope their actions will be seen as symbolic and urge shopkeepers to do the same.

“In the next few days I will issue two decrees: the first will prohibit illuminated advertising, regardless of the size of the city, between 1 am and 6 am, excluding airports and train stations, and the second will prohibit businesses from leaving. . its doors open during the operation of air conditioners or heating devices.

In an interview with the weekly Journal du Dimanche, Agnes Pannier-Runach explained that leaving the doors open means “20% more consumption, which is unreasonable”.

Cities such as Lyon, Besançon and Paris have issued municipal decrees since mid-July to close air-conditioned stores on pain of fines, while France has experienced an exceptional heat wave.

Why is France trying to reduce energy consumption?

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European country is trying to reduce energy consumption, especially with the high prices and instability that the continent is experiencing, which seeks to free itself from Russian hydrocarbons.

The member states agreed European Union On July 26, the emergency gas import plan was officially published. The Brussels plan, which is still awaiting ratification by member states, says each country “does everything possible” to reduce gas consumption by at least 15% between August 2022 and March 2023, compared to the same average. last year period. five years..

In the case of “serious deficit risks”, Brussels, after consulting the countries, calls for the activation of the alert mechanism, according to which a 15 percent reduction in consumption becomes “mandatory” for 27 countries.

The European Union is trying to take a series of measures before it enters winter, which will allow it to face A possible delay in supply from Russiawhich constituted 40% of its imports until last year.

The French government’s new steps are part of the so-called “punch plan” that President Macron announced on July 14 to address the risks of deficits linked to the war in Ukraine.