Germany plans to control gas consumption by reducing lighting, among other measures. The landmark Reichstag building in Berlin, the capital of Germany, will suspend the lighting of the glass dome and the side lights of the building at night. In addition, about 200 buildings such as Berlin City Hall and the Opera House will turn off some lights at night. Hot showers will no longer be available at public swimming pools in the northern German city of Hannover, and public swimming pools in several other cities have also reduced energy consumption to maintain water temperature.

The Spanish government issued a decree on energy restriction measures on August 2, 2022. According to the Spanish newspaper Le Monde, the content of the decree includes limiting the temperature of air-conditioning in public and commercial places to above 27 degrees Celsius in summer, limiting the temperature of heating in winter to below 19 degrees Celsius, and measures such as turning off lighting equipment in commercial places after 22:00. According to the current industrial decree in force in Spain, the fine for non-compliance with the energy restriction measures stipulated by the government decree will be between 60,000 and 600,000 euros (about 411,000 to 4.11 million yuan).

France has taken steps similar to Spain's to reduce energy waste. Several French cities have introduced ordinances that will impose energy-wasting fines on stores that open their doors to air-conditioning or heating. In addition, Aureillon, a small town in southern France, will turn off more than 1,700 street lights in the city from 23:00 to 6:00 the next day in mid-July 2022 to reduce energy consumption caused by night lighting.Editor/Ma Xue