In Reflets Magazine #145, Corentin Riet (E20) and Emma Stokking (E13) explain their commitment to promoting the decarbonisation of the French economy through The Shift Project. Here is a free online translation of the article… click here to get the next issues (in French)! 

Corentin was actively involved in the youth for climate movement during his time at ESSEC, where he joined the Urban Economy Chair. Emma opted for the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Chair and an internship with the American think-tank Demos, before working in citizen mobilisation with Avaaz at the time of COP 21. She then moved to Sparknews to lead influence campaigns on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

Both are currently working for The Shift Project, a non-profit organisation created by Jean-Marc Jancovici, Geneviève Férone Creuzet and Michel Lepetit in order to inform and influence the debate on energy transition in France and Europe. "We address business and political leaders primarily, and raise the alert on what we call the dual carbon constraint: the need for a rapid withdrawal from our reliance on fossil fuels in order to limit the intensity of climate change on one hand, and to move away from finite resources before our supplies inevitably diminish, on the other."

The team leads numerous actions.  "For example, our programme for regional resilience strategies calls on elected representatives and local leaders to analyse the threats facing local authorities due to climate change and energy constraints, and to speed up their low carbon transition. Our ClimatSUP programme helps higher education players (including ESSEC) to integrate energy and climate issues into their core teaching.’"

Alongside hundreds of professionals, The Shift Project has also devised a plan for the transformation of the French economy in order to define ways to decarbonise the economy – sector by sector – while promoting resilience and employment. "In practical terms, this would require all businesses to train their staff in energy and climate issues, to keep carbon accounts and adopt a strategy to reduce their carbon footprint. In other words, it requires a total reappraisal of their business models."

Almost 100,000 copies of the book have been sold, which is a record for a collective publication on this subject. ‘"In this way, we are contributing to making environmental planning a priority for the government and social partners. We speak at dozens of events every week, are featured in hundreds of press articles each year, and our network of volunteer Shifters has just reached the 20,000-member mark." 

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni. 

Translation of an article published in Reflets Magazine #145. Click here to get a complimentary access to the issue (in French). Subscribe here to get the next issues (in French).