Faced with the outbreak of energy prices, it takes much more than a price shield

In the space of a few weeks, the unprecedented increase in gas, electricity and fuel prices once again propelled the question of the cost of energy at the top of the concerns of French and French.This new "crisis" of energy, which is added to the very long health, economic and social crisis that we have just crossed, obliges French political leaders to find suitable reactions...That is to say those who also respond to the environmental crisis and especially climatic!

According to the energy mediator, 79 % of French people (compared to 71 % in 2020) declare that energy bills today represent a large share of the expenses of their home, and 20 % of the households interviewed (against 14 % in2020) even declare that they have suffered from the cold for at least 24 hours in their accommodation.

Even before the explosion of prices, 12 million French people were cold at home or struggled to pay their energy bills.This worrying situation, which sees energy precariousness staying at a high level in recent years, threatens to worsen strongly this winter and to extend in the coming years.

Gas price: +70% since the start of the year

Gas prices have increased by 70 % since the start of the year, those of 20 % fuels: how households with very modest resources, even more weakened by the health crisis, might face it without supportingThe height of the stake?

However, the "pricing shield" announced by the government is limited to sliding the financial charge linked to the rise in the price of gas until the end of 2022, which amounts to sliding the dust under the carpet.Leading, by construction, to maintain high prices in the long term, it will neither limit the rapid growth in the number of precarious energy, nor to help fragile households to pay already too high bills today, and whichwill be more tomorrow.

Likewise, the increase of 100 euros in the energy check will not even allow the price increase over one year, while the increase in bills between winter 2021 and winter 2022 could reach more than 500 eurosper household.

Above all, these emergency aids will not allow households concerned to proceed with the thermal renovation of their home, the only way to durably reduce their heating bills.

The crisis is serious, it should not be taken lightly.Its health, social and economic consequences threaten to be dramatic if the State does not immediately take targeted measures on the most precarious, i.e. the 3.5 million households recognized in energy precariousness, and up to real needs.

An Energy check in minimum amount of 700 euros

The first priority is to revalue the Energy Check to bring it to a minimum amount of 700 euros, which will allow families to stop depriving themselves strongly of heating energy - a reflex in the face of the rise in prices that turns out to be dangerousfor the health of people already in a situation of chronic subsidy.Such a measure would be less expensive than the announced decline in the internal tax on final electricity consumption (ICF) announced at 5 billion euros, and much better targeted on households actually in need.

These households benefiting from a reinforced energy check must be considered as priority to benefit from support adapted to controlling consumption in their housing, very often thermal stores, so that comfort and energy efficiency are quickly and durably improved there.

Beyond the losers, it should not be forgotten that this crisis also produces winners, starting with producers of fossil fuels and electricity sold on the wholesale market, who benefit from exceptional profits and should therefore participate in fundingmeasures, in a redistributive logic.

The struggle of energy precariousness is played at local level

But a large part of the fight against energy precariousness is also played at local level, as close as possible to households, to identify those who need it and provide a solution adapted to the specificity of each situation.The state and energy suppliers (which do not always comply with their legal obligations in this area) must increase their technical and financial support to the devices deployed by local authorities, which are on the front line and must face an influx withoutpreceding for assistance for payment of energy bills.

As we can see, if the emergency aid recently announced were necessary, they are far from sufficient.Above all, they should not lead to delay the necessary acceleration of low-carbon transition policies and in particular energy renovation of buildings, only capable of reducing the vulnerability of households and really protecting them from energy crises which,not, will happen again.

Get out as quickly as possible from the "oil hatch"

`Similarly, faced with the recent increase in the price of fuel, the measures announced last week by the Prime Minister will not be enough to permanently protect the most exposed households.It is impossible to save a long -term reflection on the dependence on the individual car and the need to get out of the "oil hatch" as quickly as possible.In order to respond to the diversity of mobility uses, it is a range of measures that should be implemented now: creation of a super-prime to the conversion of 7.000 euros for the most modest households with a goal of zero remains for the purchase of an electric vehicle, continuation of the opening of the premium for conversion to other modes of transport, increase in the bicycle fund toHeight of 500 million euros, strengthening of investments in favor of rail transport and in particular in the daily lines and the services of Metropolitan RER, launching a new investment program to support the development of the transport offerIn common, lower VAT to 5.5 % on land public transport, etc..

In total, the government put on the table 11 billion euros, without any consultation on the terms, for short -term palliative measures, and insufficiently targeted.With such a sum, it seems possible to us and necessary to kill two birds with one stone: both really protect vulnerable households, and accelerate the ecological transition in transport and the building.There is still time for the government to review its copy!

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(1) Signator:

Morgane Creach, director of the Action Climate network

Manuel Domergue, director of studies of the Abbé Pierre Foundation

Danyel Dubreuil, renovated initiative coordinator

Jean-Pierre Goudard and Julien Robillard, network co-presidents for the energy transition Cler

Véronique Cotto, President of Secours Catholique-Caritas France

Jean-François Maruszyczak, general delegate of Emmaüs France

Françoise Thiébault, administrator of the secular family associations in Paris

Olivier Schneider, President of the French Federation of Bicyclette users (FUB)

Arnaud Schwartz, president of France Nature Environnement