Like an ecosystem, knowledge is never an immutable, balanced sum of knowledge. It is constantly changing, nourished by research, its advances and its contradictions. This is all the more true in the face of contemporary challenges, where scientific knowledge is evolving in response to complex issues.
Knowledge is forged in laboratories, in the field and in the corridors of archives. It's an ongoing process of improvement. This process is characterized by three essential stages: observation and experimentation, analysis and comparison of results. If scientific consensus takes time to emerge, it will be all the more robust for that.
The world of research is therefore one of time. And yet, when it comes to issues as topical as climate change, scientists and intellectuals face a difficult situation. Researchers are being urged to come up with definitive conclusions and solutions to a problem that is increasingly fracturing our societies.
Avenir Commun Durable, in keeping with the values of the Collège de France, aims to contribute to the public debate by providing reliable information and data, based on rigorous and demanding research. Since its launch, the initiative has already supported five ambitious research projects in the humanities, social sciences and experimental sciences.
In order to share the initial results of this work with everyone, while taking into account the uncertainties and debates inherent in the scientific process, Avenir Commun Durable will be offering a high-profile monthly event: every month between February and June 2025, a round-table discussion will be hosted by a journalist, in the presence of researchers from one of the supported projects. The aim? To give everyone a better understanding of the ambitions, approaches and expectations shaping this research.
Scientific organizer: Jean-Marie Tarascon
The Avenir Commun Durableinitiative is supported by the Collège de France Foundation, its major sponsors Fondation Covéa and TotalEnergies, and its patrons Faurecia and Saint-Gobain.
