FFaced with the ecological, economic, social and democratic multi-crisis in which we are bogged down, it is crucial not to give in to paralyzing fear or demobilizing defeatism. The solutions, if not simple to implement, are known and available. And if some damage is already irreversible, there is still time to save the essentials by reacting seriously and giving ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions.
While Europe and France are aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050 and a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 1990, how can we explain that the transition trajectories are still so vague and that also few means are deployed? However, more and more reports are converging. That of Jean Pisani-Ferry given on May 22 to the Prime Minister evokes a figure of 66 billion euros of additional investments each year.
This figure is consistent with a study by the Rousseau Institute (“2% for 2°C”), published in 2022, which detailed sector by sector the necessary financing needs and their distribution between public and private. The results gave the title of the report: for France to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, we must invest, each year, around 2.3% of GDP (57 billion euros) in addition to what we currently spend. In addition, it will be necessary to redirect all current expenditure relating to our economic life (transport, industry, agriculture, building, energy production, etc.) towards the transition.
The study also describes how to use this capital, detailing nearly 70 quantified public policy proposals. It also sets out the main economic benefits expected and explains how to finance all of these expenses. This economic and political roadmap constitutes an advanced and detailed form of ecological planning and a means of confronting the vague speeches and objectives of the government with the reality of the means deployed.
The state as a catalyst for change
We are, at present, very far from the mark: the State should invest at least 36 billion euros more per year than what it currently does to reach the 57 billion mentioned and really put the country on the path to carbon neutrality.
Public support efforts must focus primarily on the thermal and energy renovation of buildings (14 billion euros per year), the transition to agroecology (3 billion) as well as a bonus for the conversion of thermal vehicles reinforced and expanded (2.5 billion), coupled with massive investment in the alternatives of the train, public transport and cycling (1.3 billion).
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