Belgian political scientist, professor and researcher François Gemenne has just published a new book, entitled “Ecology is not a consensus”. Invited to the 7:30 p.m. set on Sunday, the co-author of the latest IPCC report explains why ecology is not a major political issue.
The COP currently taking place in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, is hosting 200 countries until November 18 to discuss the climate situation once morest a backdrop of inflation, war in Ukraine and the energy and food crisis.
The guest at 7:30 p.m. on RTS, François Gemenne, is a member of the IPCC and a Belgian researcher at the FNRS. He also teaches climate and migration policies at Sciences Po Paris and the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He is going to Egypt on Monday to submit ideas for change to COP27 participants.
>> The portrait of François Gemenne in the 7:30 p.m.:
Importance of COPs
According to a study published on the sidelines of COP27, a record level of CO2 emissions of fossil origin is expected for the year 2022. Despite this information, François Gemenne defends the importance of international cooperation, which he considers essential.
“No country can claim to fight effectively alone once morest climate change”, specifies the political scientist. However, he believes that it would be necessary to review the format of these large meetings, since it “leads us to be disappointed”. Indeed, the COPs cannot take any decision that is binding on the States participating in them.
No ecology at the polls
Despite the awareness of public opinion and the concern of citizens for ecology, there is no real vote for the climate at the ballot box. The Belgian researcher recognizes the existence of a “paradox”, since climate change still bothers 85% of Europeans.
François Gemenne justifies this absence of political mobilization by the lack of “direct and immediate interests” that the electorate can derive from it, since the actions and the consequences of these, in terms of climate, will only be visible twenty years later. late.
These benefits, which will benefit “future generations” and the populations of the South, more vulnerable to climate change, do not mobilize voters, who are more concerned, for example, with purchasing power, despite their sensitivity to ecology.
Limits of representative democracy
The political scientist also insists on the limits of representative democracy in the fight once morest global warming. Indeed, politicians, who share the levers of action with companies or communities, must also “achieve a certain form of social consensus”, as they represent “various and often contradictory interests”.
Governments are therefore limited in terms of the fight once morest climate change and it is useless to expect too much from them, believes François Gemenne, since “no one is going to truly represent the interest of the climate”.
In his latest book, the author also displays his reluctance in the face of radical ecological movements and the politicians who support them. He fears that actions such as collages “speak only to the convinced”, believing that “today, everyone can see that the house is on fire”. It is now necessary to “extinguish the fire”, rather than “to shout fire”.
Role of determined minorities
To do this, François Gemenne campaigns for a social contract around ecology, formed thanks to the roles of determined minorities. He considers that it is necessary to expose the action of companies and communities taking “important and daring choices” so that “they can make a splash and lead to a majority”.
The great social changes, according to the political scientist, have always come regarding thanks to this mechanism of amplification, of support, while pointing the finger at those who seek that nothing changes.
François Gemenne also defends the vision of “reasoned optimism”, because “every half degree” or “ton of CO2” counts. “It is now that we will absolutely have to throw all our forces into battle,” he concludes.
TV profile: Gilles de Diesbach
Interview by Jennifer Covo
Adaptation web: Merande Gutfreund
