The annual Avenir Commun Durable chair is supported by the Fondation du Collège de France and its major sponsors the Covéa Foundation and TotalEnergies.

End of the month and end of the world : How to reconcile economy and ecology ?

While there is a strong consensus on the urgent need to take vigorous action to combat climate change, there is still total confusion among politicians and the general public as to how this can be achieved, in particular by adapting or revolutionizing our current economic system. How far should we sacrifice the purchasing power of present generations to meet our responsibilities to future generations ? How can we reconcile an ambitious climate objective with social justice ? What are the most effective climate actions, taking into account both financial imperatives and other impacts on well-being (impact of wind turbines on the landscape, nuclear risk, etc.) ? How can we ensure that the most effective climate actions are those that will be implemented as a priority in our decentralized economic system ? In particular, what role can we imagine for financial players, activists, private decision-makers and judges ? Finally, how can we manage the profound uncertainties surrounding climate dynamics and green technological progress, without which nothing will be possible ? I will use the tools of economics to shed light on these debates.