Welcome to the era of lean economy

On the occasion of the First Light Economy Forum, paleoclimatologist Jean Jouzel, co-author of the 6th IPCC report François Gemenne and Julia Faure, founder of the fashion brand Loom and co-president of the Impact France movement, exchanged on the emergence of this movement and the urgency to act as quickly as possible. “I am often asked why, at my advanced age, I continue to testify, said Jean Jouzel. I persist because I know how much every tenth of a degree matters in global warming. »

And to add: “For me, there are three essential terms to prepare for the life to come through young people today. There is solidarity, equality and finally chosen sobriety. It is around all this that we must build the light economy. » If, at present, there is collective anticipation regarding climate change, there is also palpable frustration with the slowness of concrete actions.

Change the indicators and seize the CSRD

“The great challenge of the 21st century economy is to change the paradigm, to move from indicators of luxury towards indicators of the best, says François Gemenne. There are already companies that are making circular economy choices, regenerative companies. Or, without going that far, companies which, at least, have started thinking about their business model. »

There is also the evolution of regulations. “I am impatiently awaiting the arrival of the CSRD. This European Directive on corporate social responsibility will introduce a new accounting system. Companies will now be asked to report not only on their financial results, but also on their savings and their impact on the economy and society. This seems to me to be a major breakthrough that we absolutely must seize. »

Fight against our pessimism and move forward

François Gemenne also made an interesting analogy during the forum: “I sometimes have the impression that, in relation to the transition and the advent of this light economy, we are in the same situation as the Parisians at the beginning of last July. Everyone thought the Olympic Games were going to be a monumental fiasco. »

He continues: “ And then the opening ceremony had barely started when everyone realized that these Games were going to be a resounding success. I have the impression that we are in this situation today, and that we need to demonstrate that this light economy works. » According to him, rather than spending our time and energy pointing the finger at those responsible, those who do nothing, it would be better
value and encourage those who do.

A need to regulate to force companies to adopt sustainable practices

Julia Faure nevertheless underlines the difficulty of the task. “In France, out of ten items of clothing purchased, seven are low cost. That is to say, manufactured in often appalling production conditions. So, yes, we also have companies committed to the circular economy, but it is extremely hard for them to survive. Particularly in the textile sector, almost monopolized by companies with unsustainable practices. The reality today is that as a business, the more you do poorly, the less it costs you, the more competitive you are. »

For her, if we want a light economy, that is to say an economy which has the least possible impact on the environment, which guarantees a fair social system, which does not have growth as its sole objective… we need rules and taxes. Without such measures, companies engaged in ethical practices remain at a competitive disadvantage.

“Create an economy that reflects the values ​​we want for our society”

Regulations that level the playing field are crucial. They must not only penalize harmful practices, but also encourage companies to innovate and adopt sustainable models.

For François Gemenne, “It’s about giving direction to the market and creating an economy that reflects the values ​​we want for our society. » One thing is certain, the path to a lean economy requires concerted efforts from individuals, businesses and governments.

SUPPORT WE TOMORROW, SUPPORT INDEPENDENT EDITORIAL
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
et subscribe to our magazine.