Watch the Jancovici/Mouhot debate

“In a world without limits, how should we make energy restraint acceptable?” This was the theme of the debate organised by A Rocha and the Veritas Forum of the Groupes Bibliques Universitaires (University Bible Groups, GBU) on 2nd May.

If you missed it, you can watch it here on YOUTUBE (in French).

The theme

The emergency is here! To limit global warming, the energy transition is becoming an absolute priority. But the problem is that although we know what we have to do (reduce our consumption of oil, coal and gas), we do not do it, or not fast enough, because we do not really want it to impact our comfort. In this context, how can we raise awareness, reach out and encourage our citizens to change their lifestyle? How, in other words, can we make energy restraint desirable or at least acceptable?

The speakers

Jean-Marc Jancovici is an engineer from the Ecole Polytechnique, a consultant and specialist in energy and climate. He is a member of the High Council for Climate to the Prime Minister, a professor at the Ecole des Mines, a lecturer, author of books and independent columnist. He is known for his work in raising awareness and popularising the themes of energy and global warming. He is co-founder and partner of the consulting firm Carbone 4 and president and founder of the think tank The Shift Project. His comic book Un Monde Sans Fin (written with Christophe Blain), and the Plan de Transformation de l’Economie Française, published by The Shift Project, are both top selling books in France at the beginning of 2022.

Jean-François Mouhot has a doctorate in history, is a lecturer, and director of A Rocha France, a Christian organisation that works against climate change and for ecology and nature protection. He has taught at Georgetown University in Washington and at the University of Birmingham. He is the author of several books, including Energy Slaves: Reflections on Climate Change, in which he drew parallels between our current difficulty in decarbonising society and giving up our ‘energy slaves’ (the machines that do the work for us) and that of 18th and 19th century slave societies in abolishing slavery.