It is under this prism that Sonergia wanted to analyze the programs of the main candidates for the 2022 presidential election. The measures and actions proposed by the 6 candidates with the most voting intentions were thus scrutinized and a podium established. on the basis of factual information (presence or absence of measures related to energy efficiency).
What appropriation of energy efficiency by the candidates?
A funnel approach was adopted to judge the place given by each candidate to energy efficiency. Relatively technical subject, even specialists, it was therefore first looked at what was the place of ecology in the program of each candidate. The answer is clear and some clichés still have a bright future ahead of them: the place given to ecology remains very directly linked to the political trend and the left-wing parties make it a central theme when the right and the extreme right l address it as a last resort, or even do not address it.
By refining the analysis on energy subjects, a first observation emerges: if all the candidates approach the subject of energy in their program, it is above all from the angle of the means of production (nuclear, renewable energy, etc.) and not in a logic of reducing consumption. This theme of energy is also brought to the level of the State from the angle of sovereignty and therefore of independence when it is seen for professionals from the angle of competitiveness and for households under the purchasing power angle. Energy is therefore well placed in the candidates' programs but not from the angle of reducing its consumption.
As proof, few candidates ultimately appropriated the lexical field of energy efficiency. The expression 'energy saving' is not present in any program and that of 'energy renovation' is limited to a few occurrences. 'Sobriety' is almost non-existent and unsurprisingly, energy saving certificates are non-existent. On the other hand, the candidates are numerous to propose measures that we could qualify as bandages to limit the impact of the rise in the price of energy on the wallet of the households. Reduction in VAT, increase in the energy check, 1st free KWh or even extension of the support for home-work journeys: the compensation measures are numerous but will not solve the basic problem related to consumption.
As mentioned previously, to reduce consumption, the problem must be tackled at the root: if the change in behavior can allow a gain of more than 10% (see ECORCE program report), energy renovation work remains the preferred long-term action. . Highlighted by the Covid 19 recovery plan, renovation has since been the spearhead of public policies. It is therefore natural to find this measure in a good place in the program of the candidates:
The report is less brilliant concerning the tertiary buildings, which, if they cannot claim to be the large forgotten of the programs, are only little put forward. The expected "exemplary state" which has a very large heritage of buildings is never addressed, whether on this subject of energy efficiency or more broadly on the other themes of the programs.
Another very eloquent subject in the daily life of the French people is transport, which is also a source of greenhouse gas emissions to be drastically reduced. It is a virtual unanimity of the candidates on the subject and more precisely on the question of rail. Whether it is freight freight or passenger transport, the candidates agree on the central role of the rail network in the decades to come. Soft mobility is more shunned, even if carpooling and cycling remain valued by 2 candidates:
Leaving this spectrum of building and transport which speak very directly to the French and therefore to voters, the other aspects of energy efficiency are struggling. Clearly, none of the candidates are revealing measures concerning agriculture and networks. There are of course proposals on this subject but it does not concern the spectrum of energy savings. The industry is a little luckier, considered as the flagship of our country in certain activities and very marked by decarbonization. The establishment of a joint Industry-Energy Ministry or even a specific roadmap to develop the sectors are measures on the table. The spectrum taken is therefore that of steering and planning, more than concrete actions and support at first.
What are the cross-cutting lessons from the analysis of candidate programs?
- All of these measures and commitments deserve to be screened for technical & economic feasibility: principle of reality
- The subject of energy is indeed present in each program but generally taken under the prism of production and not of the reduction of consumption
- When the sustainable reduction of energy consumption is displayed by the candidates, it is very mainly under the prism of the gain in purchasing power for households and competitiveness for companies.
- The candidates have an approach to the electorate as an individual, within a household, and not within the framework of their sector of professional activity: in fact the measures on industry, agriculture or even the networks are underrepresented
- Energy renovation, highlighted in the context of the Covid-19 recovery plan, is clearly the positioning subject shared by all the candidates when it comes to talking about energy saving.
- Even if the subjects of ecological transition do not claim any party, it is clear that the historical anchoring of the subject within the left tends to persist.
So who would be the president of energy efficiency?
In order not to fall into judgment and to remain as factual as possible, an analysis grid was worked out in order to distribute an unquestionable mark to the candidates. It is based on closed questions relating to the presence or place of such and such a measure in the programme. This analysis grid is as follows:
Not wanting to be penalizing, it was retained that the presence of a measurement by subject was sufficient to obtain the point. It should therefore be kept in mind that this rating does not depend on the depth of the candidate on a subject but first of all on the fact that he has dealt with it or not.
This grid thus gives the following podium:
Yannick Jadot is therefore at the top of the consideration of energy efficiency measures in his program, followed quite closely by Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Candidate President Macron obtains the average and ranks 3rd on the podium. It should be noted that if these scores allow the candidates to be on the podium, they are not exceptional either and they raise a fundamental question of the consideration of the subject in public policies.
Could the candidates have done better?
Very likely. The specter of energy efficiency has not been raised as a strong subject in the candidates' program even though the question of our country's energy dependence has been on everyone's lips for several weeks.
But it is not too late and fortunately that the action program of the candidates for the five-year term is not limited to the few pages published on the internet within the framework of the presidential campaign.
Sonergia therefore wishes to convey the following strong messages, in the form of proposals to all candidates and more broadly to all persons interested in the subject of energy efficiency: