Mayors and local authorities fair: accelerating the ecological transition by, for and with the territories

3 questions for... Christophe Béchu, Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion

Why is the mayors and local authorities fair an important event?

“For us, the mayors' fair is an opportunity to interact with a very wide variety of elected officials, from rural municipalities as well as large cities, waiting for help and support adapted to their specificities. At the Show, we bring you solutions and we take your solutions. »

Why is the ministry there?

“This is the first time that we will be present on behalf of this great ministry which brings together ecological transition and territorial cohesion and this in itself is already quite a symbol.

Faced with the climate emergency, France has made a strong commitment to achieve a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the 1990s. To meet these ambitious commitments, the State will need the assistance from local authorities and we will be present to provide them with solutions.

Alongside citizens, local elected officials are on the front line in the face of climatic hazards. Local authorities are also, because of their heritage and their skills, the first to invest for the climate, to set up strategies and action plans, to mobilize the actors of the territory or to imagine innovative solutions. . The State wishes to rely on this dynamic. Thus, if the major priorities are set and the means mobilized at the national level, it is indeed at the local level, at the communal block, to implement the relevant actions. The essential acceleration of our policies of decarbonization and adaptation to climate change must rely on the mayors, who every day measure the effects of actions on the daily life of the French people. This proximity is the guarantee of efficiency.

We must therefore unite energies and converge actions at the national and local levels. More than ever, the State wants to support local authorities in this area and provide them with the necessary tools and resources. »

Why a village with our partners?

“This year, our presence at the Mayors and Local Authorities Fair is being adapted to the new ministerial organization. Our stand becomes the village of Ecology, Energy and Territories.

It brings together our main operators: the Ecological Transition Agency - Ademe, the Water Agencies, the National Housing Agency, the National Territorial Cohesion Agency, the Geological and Mining Research Office, the Center for Scientific and Technical Resources known as Cerema, the General Commission for Sustainable Development, the National Institute for Geographic and Forest Information, the Directorate General for Local Authorities, Météo France, the French Office for Biodiversity, Voies navigables de France.

On the Village, the operators will be able to discuss with the local actors and inform them about all the programs, solutions, aids, incentives that the ministry makes available to them to accelerate the transition in their territories.

The presence of the Ministry and its operators in the Village of Ecology, Energy and Territories of the Mayors' Fair responds to our desire to listen to elected officials and provide them with solutions, expertise and engineering. that they need. »

3 questions for... Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition

How can local authorities be drivers in terms of energy sobriety?

“Public lighting, transport, buildings, sports or cultural facilities, local authorities are on the front line to promote energy sobriety. Many did not wait for the State to act against global warming and to reduce their energy bill. The sobriety plan, presented on October 6, under the aegis of the Prime Minister, has enabled them to define effective measures to save 10% of their electricity, gas and fuel consumption by the end of 2024. .

My responsibility is to support elected officials, to provide them with the expertise of our operators, to facilitate the sharing of experience and best practices, to remove legislative and regulatory barriers. I would also like the State to financially support local authorities in their investments. It is with this in mind that I mobilized an additional 220 million euros in the CEE ACTEE+ program to support public lighting projects or the renovation of swimming pools. More broadly, the Green Fund should help finance decarbonization projects. »

What are the consequences for local authorities of the renewable energy acceleration bill currently under consideration in Parliament?

“This bill is a new territorial pact between the State and local authorities so that France is – finally! - up to its objectives for the deployment of renewable energies and therefore its climate objectives. The Mayors are placed back at the heart of the process and decide on the priority areas where they wish to see the projects developed. Planning is done based on the reality on the ground and avoids an anarchic deployment of installations.

The bill also provides financial tools to local authorities to control their energy costs in the long term on the model of heating networks, simplifies procedures and makes it possible to install photovoltaic panels in degraded areas. It was a request from elected officials!

In this context, the State must have a role of facilitator, for example, by highlighting the areas designated by the Mayors to project promoters and by ensuring priority examination of projects in these areas. New staff will be deployed within the State to investigate projects more quickly: we have also heard this message from elected officials! »

Faced with the energy crisis, how does the State protect communities?

“Faced with this unprecedented crisis, strong measures were taken from the start of 2022: tariff shield for very small local authorities, reduction in energy taxation, exceptional increase in the volume of Arenh for the year 2022 or again safety net mechanism.

For the year 2023, the tariff shield and the safety net will be renewed, as well as the reduction in taxation on electricity. For larger communities, an additional device is introduced to amortize the cost of electricity. It reduces the bill by around €100/MWh for a local authority that has signed a contract at prices of around €500/MWh. It is therefore 20% of the invoice that will be paid for by the State, directly at the bottom of the invoice, with no file to investigate. This package of support measures for 2023, supplemented by a Supplier Charter and weekly publication by the Energy Regulatory Commission of the reference electricity prices, enables local authorities to renew their contract now within best conditions !

In the face of the crisis, we will not let down the elected officials on the ground! »

The floor to... Caroline Cayeux, Minister Delegate in charge of Local Authorities

“Aware of the realities on the ground and the needs of our fellow citizens, mayors are the primary architects of the success of our public policies.

Our ambition is that of an accompanying State, and no longer a prescriber, which is at the service of their projects and their innovative initiatives.

A supportive State, which enables them to cope with inflation and the rise in the cost of energy.

A supportive state, which gives them the necessary stability and clarity on their finances to continue investing.

Finally, a supportive state that will allow them to accelerate their ecological transition.

Together, let's build the sustainable development of all territories!

For the first time, visitors will be welcomed by elected ambassadors of the ecological transition, in our village. »

The Green Fund, 2 billion euros to accelerate the ecological transition in the territories

The State is mobilizing 2 billion euros from 2023 under the green fund. This new, unprecedented fund will make it possible to implement the projects of local authorities committed to the ecological transition. Complementary to State investment allocations, the green fund is an additional lever for supporting regional development.

The green fund meets a triple objective

Strengthen environmental performance

This action aims to encourage energy performance, while promoting respect for biodiversity:

• Energy renovation of local public buildings
• Support for source sorting and recovery of bio-waste
• Renovation of public lighting fixtures

Adapt territories to climate change

The climatic risks to which our territories are exposed require adaptation actions to preserve human lives as well as animal and plant species:

• Flood prevention
• Support for mountain communities subject to emerging risks
• Strengthening the protection of buildings in overseas communities against cyclonic winds
• Forest fire risk prevention
• The adaptation of territories to the retreat of the coastline
• The renaturation of cities

Uplift

The ecological transition is an opportunity to improve our living environments while reconciling human activity with the preservation of its natural environment:

• Support for the deployment of low mobility emission zones (ZFE-m)
• Wasteland recycling
• Support for the National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 (SNB)

Support measures for local authorities

Increase in the overall operating grant

As part of the PLF for 2023, the Government has made an exceptional and historic effort in terms of the overall operating grant for local authorities. For the first time in 13 years, the overall operating grant will increase by €320 million, which will make it possible to preserve the grant for nearly 95% of local authorities.

Support for local authorities in the face of energy prices

To help local authorities in the face of rising energy prices, the State is fully mobilized and has decided to put in place several measures, in 2023, to reduce the impact of the increase in their electricity bills:

• Tariff shield (small communities)

Small local authorities with less than 10 employees and less than €2 million in revenue, having contracted a power of less than 36 kVa and which are eligible for TRVe, will again benefit from the tariff shield in 2023. The tariff shield is maintained in 2023 on the basis of an increase in regulated electricity tariffs limited to +15% on average.

• Electric shock absorber

The other local authorities, regardless of their size, will benefit from a new system known as the electricity buffer, which will be put in place at the start of 2023. For example, for a contract concluded at €500/MWh, the State would take its charge of almost 20% of the local authority's bill. The lower price will appear directly on the bill, and financial compensation will be paid by the State to energy suppliers, via the public energy service charges.

• Security net

To cope with soaring energy prices, a safety net of €430 million was adopted in the summer of 2022 as part of the amending finance law which allows municipalities and groups to offset part of the price increase for the 2022 financial year.

Municipalities and groups that meet the following three criteria are eligible:

• have a 2021 gross savings rate of less than 22%;
• have a financial or fiscal potential per inhabitant lower than twice the average of the stratum;
• lose at least 25% of gross savings in 2022, mainly due to the increase in energy and food expenditure, and the revaluation of the index point.

Eligible local authorities will be compensated for 50% of the effects of the revaluation of the point and 70% of the effects of the increase in energy and food expenditure observed in 2022.

Meet at the village of Ecology, Energy and Territories: Pavilion 4 - Stand D118.