Ne have not yet properly measured the extent of the economic, social and societal upheavals involved in the fight against global warming. Now a priority for the new five-year term, Emmanuel Macron’s objective of making France the first major country in the world to emerge from dependence on fossil fuels within thirty years does not only involve fundamentally modifying energy supply. It also means substantially reducing our consumption. In recent months, the word “sobriety” has gained consistency in public debate. It suggests the need to drastically reduce the general demand for energy. It remains to be seen at what price.
In the speech he gave in Belfort on February 10, Emmanuel Macron chose to take the opposite view of the decrements by arguing that it is possible to reduce energy consumption without giving up the service provided, by relying on technical progress. In fact, better insulation of public buildings and housing de facto reduces energy consumption.
However, more and more scientific work shows that the delay has become such that we can no longer hope to limit climate change by relying solely on technological efficiency or innovation. We must change our practices, agree to reconsider our individual and collective lifestyles by, for example, driving fewer cars, flying fewer planes or putting less meat on our plates.
Rethink society as it is
The fact that no serene debate has so far been able to emerge around the theme of sobriety is a real problem. Very quickly, tempers flared, anathemas fused, blocking any sketch of collective projection around a new model of development and new forms of solidarity to be invented. However, it is not insignificant that the last major social movement in France originated from the carbon tax, which was designed to encourage the French to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Socially poorly calibrated, the system has shown to the point of absurdity that, in order to hope to succeed, it must first target the biggest polluters, that is to say the richest households, and not hit the most vulnerable.
In France, more than 5 million households are still in a situation of fuel poverty. Worldwide, more than 750 million people still do not have access to electricity. Beyond households and individuals, the question is above all collective. Systemic. It forces us to rethink society as it is, its relationship to work, to mobility, to consumption, to housing.
How to reduce general consumption while allowing everyone to benefit from essential access to energy? Is it possible, or even desirable, to consume less while continuing to produce wealth, and therefore to follow the usual indicators of growth? Or should we give another definition, other economic or social indicators to growth?
All these themes must be quickly taken up by the public authorities, which have the prospecting tools to shed light on and support the debate. If it does not, there is a great risk that sobriety will end up being imposed brutally instead of being chosen with all the risks of social tension and violence that entails.