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Belgian political scientist and researcher François Gemenne, an expert on climate governance and migration issues, suggests looking at ecology from a different perspective in his book “Talking about climate change without dampening the atmosphere,” published by Odile Jacob. He pointed out that the price signal is still the major determinant of behavioral changes, referring to the recent fuel crisis.
This text is a partial transcription of the interview above. Click on the video to watch it in full.
Florence O’Kelly: Is this crisis ultimately the best news for the climate in France, at least for a long time?
François Gemenne: I don’t think we should celebrate a crisis, of course, but this crisis does contain some lessons, and it can indeed make us realize how much our dependency on fossil fuels weighs on our purchasing power, on the competitiveness of our companies, and is also a geopolitical Achilles’ heel. As shown in the recent report, people are leaving their cars to take the train, and there’s been a peak in sales of electric cars. These are not sudden eco-warriors; they are individuals who made an economic calculation and realized that a more ecological choice was also a more economical choice for them.
A 48% jump in sales of electric vehicles since January, whereas before, this market was virtually struggling. Do the French have short memories?
Not just the French, but Europeans in general. Indeed, we tend not to learn enough from crises. We should have had this reflection at the time of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, where we said we need to implement austerity plans because if we buy gas, we finance the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. In reality, our dependence on fossil fuels is a real geopolitical Achilles’ heel, and we absolutely need to draw lessons from these successive crises.
What’s the lesson? Is it that when it becomes too expensive, that’s when the French turn to more sustainable solutions?
First and foremost, a major lesson is that the price signal remains the major determinant of behavioral changes, both for households and for industries and companies. If we want the transition to succeed, we need to highlight the immediate interests that can be found in it. What strikes me is that in recent months, we’ve seen this backlash against ecology. People have said it will cost too much, we can no longer afford it, it will hurt the competitiveness of our companies. In reality, these very arguments should now accelerate the transition.
Click on the video to watch the full interview.
