Partnership between EDF R&D and CIFE

A year ago CIFE partnered with the Research and Development department of EDF, France's electricity company, to work on the role of cities in reconciling energy transition and social justice. During the first year of this partnership, we organised two webinars, each with around fifty participants. The aim of these meetings was to provide insightful perspectives on the concept of just transition. 

The first webinar, held in December 2023, welcomed Eloi Laurent, economist and researcher at the French Economic Observatory (OFCE). He highlighted the need to think about the transformation of the welfare state into a social-ecological state, capable of addressing risks directly linked to ecological consequences, in order to establish a link between climate and social justice. To achieve this, it is crucial to put in place solidarity mechanisms that not only mitigate social risks but also cushion ecological risks, thereby promoting greater social cohesion. Social justice must become a lever for the ecological transition by enabling all stakeholders to play an active role in it.

This first webinar prompted us to delve into a specific dimension of the transition with a second webinar in 2024 dedicated to changes in the working environment. Dominique Méda, sociologist and professor of sociology at the University of Paris-Dauphine PSL and president of the Veblen Institute, stressed that the commitment to a form of ecological transition is not just a matter of technical, technological or administrative issues. It requires a real transformation of our system of values, our representations and our policies. According to various projections, this ecological conversion could create a net balance of about 200,000 jobs. However, it will require inter-territorial and inter-sectoral coordination to avoid repeating the mistakes of previous restructurings in the textile or steel sectors.