Opening speech by Roch-Olivier Maistre at the conference to present the study on the environmental impact of audiovisual use in France.

Check against delivery,

Madam President of Arcep [Laure de La Raudière],

Mr. Deputy Director General of ADEME [Baptiste Périssin-Fabert],

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm delighted to welcome you this afternoon to Arcom, where you'll have the opportunity to enjoy our view one last time before we move at the end of the year, on the occasion of the publication of the study on the environmental impact of audiovisual uses in France. Let me remind you that this study was carried out in application of article 15 of the so-called "Climate and Resilience Law", which entrusts Arcom and Arcep, in collaboration with ADEME, with the task of producing a report every two years measuring the environmental impact of the various broadcasting methods used to show audiovisual services.

This report is the fruit of a joint effort that has resulted in the collection of unprecedented data, and the provision of a first-ever analysis of the environmental impact of the audiovisuel sector. This first step is essential if we are to take appropriate action to meet the challenges posed by this theme, particularly in view of the transformation in usage: today, every French household has an average of 6 screens, and almost 90% of TV-equipped households have a connected set.

Our joint study has been entrusted to I Care, who will be presenting their conclusions in a few minutes, and I would like to thank them on behalf of Arcom and myself for this rigorous and demanding work, carried out over a long period of time using a particularly robust methodology.

I would also like to extend my thanks to the teams at the Autorité involved in this ambitious project, in particular the Research, Economics and Forecasting Department. In recent years, Arcom's commitment to the ecological transition has been stepped up, with various tools to encourage the media and platforms to take better account of this dimension, the production of studies and benchmarks, but also, since the beginning of 2023, the creation of a dedicated working group within our college to nurture a cross-disciplinary approach and lead reflection: it is entrusted to Bénédicte Lesage, with the support of Benoît Loutrel, and I thank them both.

The study published today complements our previous joint initiatives with Arcep and ADEME, to which I attach the utmost importance. I'm thinking in particular of the reference framework on the eco-design of digital services published last May, or the notice on the environmental impact of audio and video content, published in September 2023. It is both a working tool for authorities and industry players, and a communication tool for the general public to raise awareness.

Without revealing the conclusions of the study, its analysis shows that the carbon impact of audiovisual use is low in terms of France's total carbon footprint: 0.9%.

If current trends continue, greenhouse gas emissions from audiovisual use could rise by around 30% by 2030. As we know, terminals account for most of the environmental impact of audiovisual use (between 72% and 90%), particularly during manufacture, followed by networks (between 9% and 26%) and data centers (between 1% and 3%).

We therefore need to identify the relevant levers to contain the increase in this impact, and commit to a sober approach. But sobriety doesn't mean passivity or renunciation; on the contrary, it means taking an active, collaborative approach to bring out the best practices. Levers for action exist on both the supplier and user side, as you will see in our study.

The aim is not for our authorities, and even less so for Arcom, to compromise the general interest ambitions of audiovisual uses, whether in terms of access to information, support for creativity or social cohesion. But we can get information on equipment whose suppliers have prioritized eco-design, and whose lifespan has been extended; we can support French audiovisual and cinematographic creation by viewed works on wifi rather than 4G.

This is precisely the purpose of Arcom's mission: to ensure " that the development of the audiovisual communication sector is accompanied by a high level of environmental protection ". The aim is not to constrain the development of the industry, but to integrate the new ambitions born of the need to act in favor of our environment.

Today's study embodies the time for analysis and information: we must, on this basis and in a concerted manner, enter the time for action.

Thank you very much for your attention. Without further ado, I'd like to hand over to the Chairman of Arcep.