Publish at October 04 2022 Updated October 04 2022
"Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It is the transition that is unpleasant."
Isaac Asimov
In 2008 Rob Hopkins imagines the concept of "cities in transition." Despite repeated alerts, he already perceives the slowness of states and the bad grace of companies to adopt behaviors more respectful of biodiversity or the climate, but also the weakness of information on essential issues that is why he militates for the involvement of citizens in the proximity of their territory.
Some critical observers, such as Aurélien Barrau doubt that we have begun the slightest first step towards the necessary ecological transitions in favor of biodiversity and the climate. He states
"Life, on Earth, is dying. The magnitude of the disaster is out of proportion to our responsibility. To ignore it would be as foolish as it would be suicidal. More than a transition, I think we need a revolution".
These transitions are considerable since they call into question our entire way of life, starting with our daily comfort (food, heat, energy). He comes to the paradoxical conclusion that in the end it is better to stop flailing around. The problems are diversified and multi-scalar, the complexity would be largely out of reach of technological solutions, simple element of a whole, intertwined of causes and effects coextensive to each other. Without listening to Barrau many actors have set themselves in motion.
In the usual way of capitalism (cf Boltanski's demonstration in the new spirit of capitalism) when an object, an idea, a cause rises, the question is always and quickly how to take advantage of it. The mechanics are oiled and at some point, the figure of the revolutionary ends up on a cap or a badge to pin on the jacket, no value can resist the assault. The transition lengthens in principle and once again produces a market. Let's take the French example.
Business schools have provided many executives and managers with disastrous decisions when it comes to biodiversity and climate. The latest graduates of these schools are currently denouncing this. These schools are now offering to teach how to implement the ecological transition They are recruiting as follows:
"The S&O Center (HEC) offers seminars, courses, and events to help students and practitioners make the transition to a decarbonized economy."
Whether we carbonize or decarbonize, it's still kind of the same thing, the movement changes but the philosophy remains. Haven't students been taught to argue one way and then the other just for the sake of oratory? This is called rhetoric. Sincerity and strength of conviction counted for little in the exercise or as one more argument. The vocabulary evolves and adapts to the times. As for the programs and their effects, everyone will be the judge of their ethics. Société Générale, a generous funder of hydrocarbon research for decades, is now funding the HEC chair. An act of repentance or a pivotal strategy in the manner of start-ups?
State operators are also trying to reach a variety of audiences the Ademe, BPI France, the INET (Institut national des études territoriales) have motivating offerings for ardent defenders of public service. Training public leaders and actors to behave virtuously is also commendable. It may also be easier than creating coherent public policies, such as driving polluting diesel vehicles out of the most modest city centers but accepting that vehicles like Porshe Cayenne can continue to benefit from the most favorable ecological criteria. Or loudly proclaim the importance of rail service and dismantle it in whole swaths to satisfy competition and force the public to reach rail hubs by car.
Travel education is also part of the game. There is thus a leitmotiv of displacement and meeting towards the other likely to help us to transit. After all to transit is not to go from one point to another? Everyone does according to his means. The project The Arch chooses a very modern ecological boat trip of innovative entrepreneurs going to bring 100 innovative solutions all over Europe, while "The Caravan of Initiatives" is content with more basic means and the collection of local initiatives by crossing part of Africa and Europe. TheInstitute of Cooperative Territories also proposes walking the territory, slowing down and taking the time to talk to each other and create solutions together.
Each party may be carrying a bit of the solution symbol with technology and more human connection.
As is often the case, it is appropriate to observe the proposed educational devices, and to discern between display effect and the contexts of implementation, the hidden intentions, the postures of actors and above all the ethics and real coherence of people and organizations.
There are so many offers currently, from the university-diploma to consulting offers to accompany us in projects like Open Land, methods like the ecological renaissance fresco, specialized firms that offer us to observe the living through a myriad of consultants, coaches and diagnostic wellness centers, that we may be well advised to change our bearings to choose our path.
Let's use our imaginations let's get interested in the "Who." Who do I want to embark on the transition with rather than looking at the "what"? Let's look at proximity, let's go learn from the most virtuous in ecological matters, African countries, what's left of the traditional rural world (not to be confused with agro-industry), the pioneers of happy sobriety who are a few decades ahead of new entrants.
Let's show more imagination, let's dare new ideas and actors who are a little less worn out and have soaked in everyday learning rather than old institutions that have all followed the same path.
Sources:
Wikipedia Ecological Transitions https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_écologique
Open Lande https://openlande.co/
The Transitions Factory https://fabriquedestransitions.net/index_en.html
University of Toulouse University Diploma Leading and animating the transition of territories https://www.ut-capitole.fr/accueil/formations/se-former-autrement/formation-continue/diplome-duniversite-conduire-et-animer-la-transition-des-territoires
HEC Implementing the ecological transition https://www.hec.edu/fr/faculte-et-recherche/centres/institut-society-organizations-so/les-enjeux/mettre-oeuvre-la-transition-ecologique
Ademe training https://formations.ademe.fr/accueil.html
BPI France Parcours transition énergétique et écologique https://www.bpifrance-universite.fr/formation/e-parcours-transition-energetique-et-ecologique/
INET Cycle supérieur de la transition https://inet.cnfpt.en/formation-continue/loffre-services/professional-cycles-linet/superior-cycle-transition
The Arch https://www.the-arch.eu/
The Ecological Renaissance Mural https://fertiles.labascule.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Plaquette-ferti%CC%82les-e%CC%81cole-de-coope%CC%81ration-et-dengagement-BD.pdf
The 2020 caravan https://caravane2020.wixsite.com/blog.
Barrau at Janco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VajcUf7xRTQ
The New Spirit of Capitalism https://www.gallimard.fr/Catalogue/GALLIMARD/Tel/Le-nouvel-esprit-du-capitalisme#
Institute of Cooperative Territories https://instercoop.fr
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