Latest news with #Ademe
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
France's heatwave politics: Far-right leader Le Pen proposes massive AC plan ahead of 2027 election
As Europe swelters under yet another record-breaking heatwave, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen seized the moment to pitch a populist promise ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, a nationwide 'grand plan for air conditioning.' Speaking in Parliament, Le Pen, MP for Pas-de-Calais, declared that 'air conditioning saves lives,' and criticised France's public infrastructure for being ill-equipped to handle extreme heat. Alongside ally Éric Ciotti, she introduced a bill this week proposing mandatory air conditioning in essential public spaces. The proposal comes as France grapples with scorching summer temperatures and a long-standing reluctance to adopt widespread air conditioning, a cultural preference and sense of pride shared across much of Europe, where cooling systems are often viewed as environmentally unfriendly. According to France's national environment agency Ademe, only 25 per cent of French homes had air conditioning in 2020 which was 14 per cent up from 2016. But Le Pen has faced strong political criticism for her proposal. Ecological transition minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher dismissed air conditioning as an inadequate adaptation to climate change, warning that such systems heat the streets and contribute to urban heat islands. 'You're cooling one room but heating another,' she said, adding that France should prioritise building insulation and green urban planning over widespread AC installation. Green party leader Marine Tondelier echoed the criticism, accusing Le Pen of reducing environmental policy to buying air conditioning units, and calling for structural reforms like planting trees and upgrading buildings. A study from 2020 on Paris air conditioning warned that massive use of AC often vents hot air onto the streets and could intensify heatwaves by several degrees Celsius. Nonetheless, support for cooling systems is quietly growing among French households as heatwaves become more common with more people opting for ACs but they come with a set of rules. Planning Approval Noise Limits Certified Installation Environmental Rules (RE2020) Mandatory maintenance For units with >2kg refrigerant or >12kW: EU Compliance Must display: Cost Total (incl. installation): €700–€6,000 (Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh)
Irish Examiner
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Europe's heatwave moves east as row erupts in France over air conditioning
The European heatwave has moved east, threatening record temperatures in Germany, as a political row broke out in France over air conditioning. The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen seized a canvassing opportunity before the 2027 presidential election, announcing she would launch a 'grand plan for air conditioning' for the nation if she won power. In parliament, Le Pen, an MP for the Pas-de-Calais in northern France, said 'air conditioning saves lives'. She said there was a problem in France if public services 'are unable to function because of a lack of air conditioning, unlike dozens of countries across the world'. Éric Ciotti, a Le Pen ally, put down a bill in parliament this week calling for 'obligatory air conditioning' for key public spaces. France has a low number of public spaces and private homes with air conditioning compared with neighbouring countries such as Italy. In 2020, 25% of French homes had air conditioning, compared with 14% in 2016, according to the national environment agency, Ademe. Tourists pose for a photo while feeding pigeons on a hot day in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti The government attacked the far right as ignorant and 'incompetent' for suggesting air conditioning was a solution to the climate crisis. The environment minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, said air-conditioned spaces in care homes for elderly people had been obligatory in France for 20 years. She said that, although vulnerable people should be protected from the heat, air conditioning 'must not be installed everywhere' because it generated a rise in temperatures outside and was 'the wrong answer'. The Green leader, Marine Tondelier, attacked Le Pen for an environmental policy limited to 'buying air conditioning units'. Tondelier said there had to be progress made on green spaces in cities and proper insulation of buildings. Meanwhile, Europe continued to grapple with a deadly heatwave that has resulted in record temperatures and several deaths. In Spain, officers from Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, were investigating the deaths of two farm workers whose bodies were found on Tuesday by firefighters tackling a wildfire near the town of Coscó in Lleida province. The wildfire burned through 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) of land in the north-eastern Spanish region and authorities ordered 18,000 people in the area to remain at home. A bear enjoys iced fruit at Rome's zoo, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, as temperatures soar to around 40 degrees Celsius. Picture: AP Photo/Paolo Santalucia The regional president, Salvador Illa, urged people to take extra care, warning them not to underestimate the speed and ferocity of wildfires. 'These fires aren't like the ones we used to have,' he said on Wednesday. 'When you find out how they evolve, you get goose bumps. There are really dangerous fires.' The two men died on the same day that a young boy died, apparently from heatstroke, after being left in a car in the Catalan province of Tarragona on Tuesday. France's energy minister reported two deaths with a direct link to the heatwave, with 300 people taken to hospital this week. A 70-year-old lorry driver was found dead inside his vehicle in northern Italy, in what may be the country's third death linked to the heatwave. The man was discovered shortly after 6.30am on Wednesday, parked at a motorway rest area between Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda, in the province of Brescia. Elsewhere in Italy, traffic lights stopped working, people got stuck in lifts, and shops closed early after power cuts in parts of the country on Tuesday afternoon, partly due to a surge in the non-stop use of air conditioning and fans putting a strain on electricity grids. A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius in Thionville, north-eastern France, on July 2, 2025, as a heatwave hits Europe. Picture: Jean-Christophe VERHAEGEN/AFP The blackouts in Italy were also caused by underground electrical cables overheating, according to the energy provider Enel. In Florence, the power cut affected the city's historic centre, with the La Rinascente department store evacuated as a precautionary measure. A sign reading: 'Black out, see you tomorrow morning at 10am,' appeared on a shop window opposite Florence's cathedral. Homes were without electricity for hours in several neighbourhoods in Rome, Milan, Genoa and Bergamo. Italy's health ministry issued a maximum red alert for heat in 18 cities on Wednesday, meaning the heat is so intense that it poses a risk for young and healthy people too. The extreme temperatures are forecast to last at least until the weekend. The heat is also beginning to take a serious toll on the country's agriculture, scorching fruit and vegetables, straining livestock, and deepening a growing drought crisis in the south. According to Coldiretti, Italy's largest farmers' association, early signs of damage are already being reported from north to south: from blistered melons in Tuscany to milk shortages in Lombardy and water rationing in Sicily. Men jump into the water on a hot day in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti As the heatwave rolled eastwards on Wednesday, Germany was expected to record some of its hottest temperatures of the year so far. Temperatures were expected to surge close to 40C across much of the country on Wednesday, and could break the all-time record for Germany of 41.2C, set in July 2019. Drought-like conditions led more than 40 German districts to restrict water use, including for farmers and gardeners, in addition to dozens of municipalities calling on citizens to conserve water. In Brandenburg state surrounding Berlin, two forest fires broke out on Tuesday, with high temperatures and munitions in the soil complicating the work of firefighters, who by the evening had the situation under control. Read More Heatwaves hit Europe but Ireland set for spell of 'unsettled' weather
Fashion Network
26-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Selling sustainability: What drives consumers to choose responsible fashion
Caught between encouragement and guilt, brands and public authorities are still searching for the most effective way to guide consumers toward responsible fashion. This challenge took center stage at a conference held in Paris on June 25, organized by Ademe (the French Agency for Ecological Transition), where the agency presented a new study on overconsumption driven by ultra-fast fashion and secondhand shopping habits. 'People buy because something is beautiful—not because it's eco-friendly,' reminded Nicolas Rohr, co-founder of French fashion brand Faguo. 'Customers are looking for pleasure first, then price, and only after that do environmental concerns come into play. So it's time to stop selling burlap bags made in Peru by saying, 'Wear this, it's responsible.' Brands like Patagonia have shown that you can have great design and be sustainable.' According to Boris Descarrega, associate director of Obsoco (the Observatory of Society and Consumption), the fashion industry continues to face a major contradiction among consumers. 'The data shows a real increase in awareness. Climate change denial is declining, but that doesn't always translate into consumer behavior,' he explained. 'This paradox isn't specific to fashion—it's seen across all product categories.' 'When it comes to convincing consumers, price remains the biggest barrier to sustainable fashion,' noted Sihem Dekhili, professor of sustainable marketing at ESSCA School of Management. 'On average, people are willing to pay 7.5% more for a more sustainable garment. So the question becomes: what arguments actually encourage them to pay more? Three factors stand out—Made in France, repairability, and recyclability. Brands must fundamentally reimagine their business models to gain trust. Why guilt-based messaging is counterproductive That transformation is something influencer Charlotte Lemay is trying to support by carefully choosing her brand partnerships and adopting a tone that's engaging rather than moralizing for her 253,000 Instagram followers. 'One in two young people says, 'We're doomed no matter what,' according to a study I read,' she shared. 'That gives you some perspective—how are they supposed to feel motivated when the sixth mass extinction seems inevitable? In that context, guilt‑tripping is counterproductive.' 'Responsibility shouldn't rest solely on consumers,' said Boris Descarrega. 'While raising awareness is essential, we also need action on the supply side. Prideful speeches about resisting polluting fashion often come across as moralizing—and that approach tends to backfire. If I were a manufacturer, I'd rather use humor to undermine the appeal of major players, making them seem less cool and less desirable, rather than resort to preaching.' For Raphaël Guastavi, deputy director of the circular economy division at Ademe, highlighting the benefits of responsible consumption is key. 'We need to better communicate the value of extending the life of garments—that's the goal of the repair bonus. The question of recycling is how to surpass the 20% threshold for recycled products. We need to recover more material. There are options like industrial rags or insulation, but ideally, we'd remake textile from textile. That's where the industry needs strong support.' From polluter-pays to polluter-invests That vision is shared by textile manufacturer Eric Boël, head of Les Tissages de Charlieu and the Nouvelles Fibres Textiles initiative, which aims to recycle 25,000 tons of textile back into textile. 'Manufacturers can't fund such high-risk innovation alone—it requires public support,' he said. According to Boël, the sector is entering a new paradigm. 'We can move from a 'polluter‑pays' model to a 'polluter‑invests' model for a new responsible economy. We're both the client and the supplier since the material we produce comes back to us. We aim to prove that aligning business and ecology through circularity is possible—an economy built on human connection and geographic proximity.' 'There needs to be a real alternative to overconsumption,' added Marie Castagné, co‑executive director of France's national network of reuse and recycling centers. Beyond recycling, she pointed to common cognitive biases around secondhand fashion. 'First, there's a false sense of saving money when shopping on platforms like Vinted, even though you might find the same branded jeans for $5 at a reuse center,' she explained. 'Second, 70% of sellers on Vinted then go buy something new. Some even justify it by thinking they'll resell those new items later. So we need to make community‑based reuse more accessible, and expand concepts like the 'Repair Café'—because repairing changes how people see their wardrobe.' At Faguo, Nicolas Rohr is preparing to roll out environmental labeling in January 2026 with support from service provider La Belle Empreinte. 'It won't require a huge effort—it's just a matter of entering data into their system, almost like pressing a button,' he said. 'Our only regret is that it's still optional.' He noted that sustainable regulations often end up stalling. 'But we hope this labeling system shakes up the market—especially among those dumping thousands of products online every day.' B2B campaigns are planned starting in the second half of 2025 to encourage brands to adopt environmental labeling. Pascal Dagras, from the French Ministry of Ecology and the lead on the project, recently urged brands to 'get creative' when explaining how the scoring system works. Influencer Charlotte Lemay, meanwhile, reminded the audience not to underestimate social media's role in promoting sustainable fashion consumption. 'Influencers aren't just pushing people to shop—we're the first source of information for an entire generation,' said Lemay, who founded the nonprofit Aware last year to educate influencers on sustainability and help them avoid promoting questionable brands. 'It's not always easy for influencers to turn down paid partnerships,' she added—a challenge that mirrors the one consumers face as they try to .
Fashion Network
26-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Shein to Vinted: How fast and preloved fashion drive excess consumption
According to a study released on June 25 by France's environmental agency Ademe (Agency for Ecological Transition), the appeal of buying more clothes draws consumers to both ultra-fast fashion and secondhand platforms. The report highlights that customers using these two channels tend to accumulate and rotate their wardrobes at significantly higher rates than average. Conducted with 400 consumers aged 16 to 75, the study tracked a cohort of 159 respondents over time to evaluate changes in shopping behavior. Results show that the apparel market is driven by a small group of heavy consumers—around 20–25% of the population. On average, French consumers purchase 13 clothing items per year and estimate they own 79 pieces. However, actual wardrobe reviews conducted with 40 participants revealed much higher numbers, with some owning up to 120 more items than they thought. Ademe extrapolates this to a national average of 175 clothing pieces per person. Over half of these garments go unworn. Nationwide, it's estimated that 120 million clothing items purchased more than three months ago have never been worn. Interestingly, while 35% of respondents believe they own more clothes than needed, only 19% consider their consumption excessive. 'People are more likely to question the volume they've accumulated over the years than the frequency of their current purchases,' notes Ademe. Fast and ultra-fast fashion in focus Among respondents, 45% shop at traditional fast fashion retailers like H&M and Zara. Men make up 58% of this group, with an average age of 43. These brands attract a broad demographic across all income levels. Just 24% purchase from ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein, Temu, Asos or Boohoo. These customers skew younger and more female—70% are women, and the average age is 38. Few consumers over 55 engage with these platforms. Notably, 57% of ultra-fast fashion customers earn less than €1,500 a month, compared to 40% of all apparel shoppers. Perceived quality varies: while 54–85% of fast fashion consumers rate product quality as acceptable, only 24% of Shein shoppers feel the same. Ratings drop to 16% for Temu, 14% for AliExpress, and just 8% for Wish. Overconsumption accelerated Ultra-fast fashion significantly intensifies consumer habits. Customers are twice as likely as the average to say they choose these brands to 'buy more and refresh their wardrobe often.' They're also nearly twice as likely to report increased purchasing since discovering their preferred retailer. The result: ultra-fast fashion shoppers have wardrobes 52% larger than those of traditional fashion consumers. A further issue is 'purchase regret'—items bought and never worn. This is reported by 45% of ultra-fast fashion consumers, and 18% say it happens multiple times a year. While product returns are fairly consistent across categories (averaging 2.2–2.3 returns per year), the real difference lies in the volume and speed of acquisition. Secondhand's surprising impact Secondhand fashion has become a booming segment. Forty-two percent of consumers buy used clothing, and 87% of those use resale platforms— Vinted dominates with 90% usage, followed by LeBonCoin (29%) and VideDressing (10%). However, only 27% both buy and sell. Many see secondhand shopping not as a sustainability effort but as a route to low-cost fashion. On average, people spend €115 annually on secondhand clothing —about 30% of their total fashion budget. 'Secondhand shoppers are often some of the most active consumers,' the report notes, 'even if they spend slightly less than average.' Wardrobe checks confirmed this paradox. The ultra-fast fashion–secondhand loop There's also significant overlap: 38% of secondhand shoppers also buy fast fashion, and 13% regularly purchase ultra-fast fashion. Items from these low-cost brands are heavily represented on resale platforms. Secondhand savings don't necessarily curb consumption. In 51% of cases, money saved through resale is spent on more clothing. Among heavy fashion shoppers (those buying multiple items monthly), 85% reinvest resale earnings into more fashion purchases. Ademe concludes that secondhand fashion helps democratize access and extend product life. However, it also risks fueling a 'consumption loop' that increases wardrobe turnover rather than reducing it. Furthermore, reselling often replaces donations or recycling as a disposal method.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
French legislation to rein in fast fashion faces crucial test in Senate
French senators begin debating landmark fast fashion legislation Monday that could reshape how ultra-cheap clothing is sold and marketed, but ecologists fear the proposed law has been significantly diluted from its original form. The French buy an average of 48 items of new clothing per year per person, but two thirds of those garments remain in the wardrobe, while others are thrown away and pollute the environment. Thirty-five garments are thrown away every second, according to Ademe – France's environmental agency. On Monday, lawmakers in the upper house begin debating a proposed law to "reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry" – estimated to be responsible for 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide In March 2024, MPs voted unanimously to define and regulate imports of low-cost, high-turnover clothing – known as ultra-fast fashion – led by Chinese online retailers like Shein and Temu. "Today, these giants of ultra-disposable fashion are invading the market without any oversight. We need to set rules and hit them as effectively and as hard as possible," said Sylvie Valente Le Hir, a senator with the conservative Republicans and rapporteur of the bill. Under the legislation, the legal definition of "fast fashion" would be based on factors such as production volume, product lifespan and repairability. Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:Ghana grapples with crisis caused by world's throwaway fashionFashion and climate: why the greenest garment is the one you already ownFrance drops fashion groups probe over Uyghur forced labour
