Energy transition: our students called upon by the government

Because France aims to become the first major industrial country to move away from dependence on fossil fuels and to become carbon-neutral by 2050. The government has set up a national consultation entitled “Our energy future is decided now”.

The ecological emergency  

Announced by the President of the Republic in February 2021, the aim of this consultation is to allow everyone to express their views on these societal choices, and to put in place a strategy on energy and climate that is becoming urgent. The consultation ran from October 2022 to February 2023, with online contributions and regional meetings open to the general public.

A student contribution  

The Minister for Higher Education and Research, Sylvie Retailleau, and the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, also solicited the contribution of students from several masters specialising in the environment and energy. 

In this context, more than sixty students from 6 different masters (from the University of Paris Dauphine - PSL, HEC, Sciences Po Paris, the University of Poitiers as well as IPAG) were heard on Monday 6 March 2023.

Towards a draft law 

After having conducted work under the direction of Prof. Maria Giuseppina Bruna, Director of R&D, Chairs, Continuing Education and CSR, Ms.  Mounira El Bouti (PhD student and development officer at IPAG Executive Education) and Prof. Hans Von Mettenheim (Head of the Finance Department), the students of the IPAG Master 2 in Ecological and Energy Transition presented their contribution to the national consultation to the Ministers and the guarantors of the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP). 

The delegation was composed of four students, Tobias Carter and Morgane Pomé from the Master 2 in Management and Energy and Ecological Transition (continuing education) as well as two students from the Master 2 in Finance (initial education) Chaimaa Kenfaoui and Ferdaous Ouqba.

Our students showed their creativity by presenting a board illustrating the Elysée Palace equipped with photovoltaic panels. This initiative highlights the idea that the highest authorities should set an example in terms of energy sobriety.

IPAGIENS' ideas win over ministers 

The students presented their ideas for a coherent energy sobriety project, based on a cultural change, desired and supported by everyone. Their proposals were included in the official report of the consultation. They attracted the attention of the Ministries and the CNDP, in particular their invitation for the State to play a strong and exemplary role in supporting sobriety. The report also mentions another idea put forward by the IPA students, namely the request for a better definition of ESG criteria or the implementation of a regulatory label to reduce the risks of greenwashing. 

The recognition of these proposals shows the well-established synergies between the IPAG Chair 'Inclusive Enterprise', IPAG Executive Educations and the Ministries. The government will now produce a Report to Parliament to examine the future bill in the hope of achieving the expected level of decarbonisation.