«Training is a prerequisite for action.» In an open letter, the engineer Jean-Marc Jancovici, president of the Shift Project, and 16 other prominent figures, including the director Cyril Dion, the activist Camille Étienne or sociologist Dominique Meda are calling on President Emmanuel Macron and the incoming ministers to undergo training on the challenges of the ecological transition. «The time has come to sound the alarm, and this requires you and your government to make the ecological transition your top priority.», they write. Here is their op-ed.

«Mr. President,

Anyone who has been educated on environmental issues knows that the data is factual, scientific, and rational—it is not a matter of belief or political opinion. The Citizens’ Climate Convention was a great example: 150 French citizens from all walks of life were selected at random, and after twenty hours of training, 100 of them were convinced of the urgency and importance of environmental action.

The ecological transition is a cross-cutting issue that affects all sectors of our society, all ministries, and all ministers

While there may be debate over how to carry out the transition, there should no longer be any debate over the reasons for it or the urgency of achieving it. The IPCC has been unequivocal: we must act now to reverse the trend in greenhouse gas emissions within three years. The time has come to sound the alarm, and this compels you and your government to make the ecological transition your top priority. An animal or plant species goes extinct every twenty minutes; three out of four children in France breathe toxic air; and rising temperatures will lead to unprecedented economic and political crises. Action must be taken immediately.

We refuse to believe that the shortcomings of the previous five-year term in this area stemmed from a lack of courage or, worse, a lack of conviction. The ecological transition is a cross-cutting issue, a matter of justice that affects all sectors of our society, all ministries, and all the ministers your Prime Minister will appoint.

We expect you to participate in a rigorous training program lasting twenty hours.

These ministers will come from a wide variety of backgrounds, academic disciplines, and areas of expertise, and naturally, not all of them will be experts in this field. We do not expect this new administration to be fully prepared from the outset—that would be intellectually dishonest. What we do expect is for you—and the entire administration—to be willing to learn, because learning is the prerequisite for action. It is not simply a matter of informing you—we know you have the best access to data—but of creating a space for dialogue and influence to raise awareness.

We expect you to participate in a rigorous, 20-hour in-person training program—without delegating your participation—and to follow the methodology of the relevant institutions that address the climate issue from all angles, not limited to energy-related challenges. Training is the essence of transformation. Knowledge is power. Without you, we cannot achieve the ecological transition. We are counting on you to take on this challenge.»