In the debate on the ecological transition, finance occupies a crucial place. It is not limited to capital management, but constitutes a fundamental lever for directing our economies towards a more sustainable model. By mobilizing savers around concrete projects, participatory finance is emerging as a promising solution to respond to ecological and social challenges.
Crowdfunding, a citizen approach
Crowdfunding, or crowdfundingis a mechanism that allows individuals to invest directly in projects that are important to them. This model, although modern, has deep historical roots. Few people know it, but this model is far from being new: it notably made it possible to finance the Statue of Liberty in New York, thanks to the mobilization of thousands of small donors. Today, platforms like Enerfip facilitate this process by offering citizens the opportunity to invest in local and sustainable projects. With entry amounts sometimes as low as €10, everyone can take part in the energy transition.
Citizen savings and crowdfunding: complementarity
Although often confused, crowdfunding and citizen savings have distinct objectives and modes of operation. L’andcitizen savings brings together initiatives to channel citizens’ savings towards projects with a positive impact, often managed by financial institutions. Conversely, crowdfunding creates a direct link between investors and project leaders, thus allowing each citizen to choose where to place their money. This dynamic promotes greater transparency and direct involvement of savers.
Which projects to support?
The projects financed through crowdfunding are varied and adapted to current issues. They not only include initiatives sociales orsustainable real estatebut also projects of ecological transition. Among these, we find solar installations or wind farms, but also methanization projects and innovative solutions in terms of sustainable mobility. This method of financing reduces middlementhus allowing investors to recover their return on investment more quickly while actively participating in the ecological transition.
Finance at the service of the transition
The ecological transition is crucial to guarantee a sustainable future for future generations. However, it requires solid financial support. Currently, a significant portion of investments continue to be directed towards fossil fuels, a obstacle to decarbonization. Initiatives like Enerfip strive to redirect these flows towards projects that respect the environment.
To succeed in this transformation, it is imperative to rethink investment evaluation criteria. By integrating extra-financial indicators, such as social and environmental impact, finance can become a driver of positive change. On a European scale, citizen savings represent nearly 6,000 billion euros. If part of these funds were redirected to ecological projects, it could play a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
