Three questions to Marc Ringel on Climate and Education

Let me start by saying that I am impressed by the multitude of research and teaching activities related to climate and environmental policies that are going on at Sciences Po. My aim is to reach out to these activities and develop the chair into a sciences hub, bundling and highlighting the climate-related activities going on.

Based on this understanding, my research* focuses on the implementation of the European Green Deal, both in its European and its global dimension: How can we design effective climate transition blueprints that work from an ecologic, but also economic and social perspective? This touches on many aspects: With almost 80% greenhouse gases stemming from the energy sector, this asks for looking into energy transition strategies. Well-designed and stepped up energy efficiency policies can play a much stronger role here.

With the design of transition policies come questions of governance and fairness: How can we make sure that the transition “leaves no one behind”? A just transition implies looking at regional policies but also at stepping up individual capacities, for example to pay rising energy bills – the so-called “energy poverty” – or to mobilise finance to renovate buildings.

Last, we need to acknowledge the fact that climate change is happening and that we need to act and adapt. Following up on the chair’s works on nature based solutions looks very promising here.

From my experience, many young people are overwhelmed and deeply discouraged by the scientific findings on climate change, leading to a feeling of helplessness. I think we have a role to provide future – and present – actors with the necessary tools and competences to act and to take the undoubtedly tough choices that they – and we – will have to make.

First, this asks for a better understanding of existing policy choices by reinforcing the existing offer on environmental and climate-related classes**. For example, I will be teaching a class on the European Green Deal with the School of Public Affairs in the coming semester, followed by an analysis on national climate strategies with the Paris School of International Affairs in the spring term.

Second, the complexity of climate transitions asks for life-long learning. Supporting Capstone activities in the executive master programmes will help today’s professionals to update and sharpen their climate competences.

Finally, and this is very important to me, I want these activities to empower students: by linking them to today’s executives and by giving them space to develop innovative solutions – in formats such as student blogs and podcasts, which we regularly publish.

In my opinion, universities and higher research institutions are best-placed to address questions related to sustainable development and climate transitions. By nature, these aspects are complex and relate to different scientific disciplines. Teaming up for inter- and transdisciplinary research advances the findings of single discipline research and provides innovative answers.

Next, we have a role to engage in international cooperation and networks, both within and outside Europe. It also helps to lay the foundations for policy debates and policy choices, by providing the relevant evidence, comparing global solutions and identifying good practices to govern the climate and energy transitions. I often have the impression that even if we have understood the impact of global warming and acknowledge the need to act, we are still far from translating these insights into rigorous policy action. Defining pathways for transitions and blueprints for policy instruments can help to overcome this “insight-action-gap”, as I would call it.

This in turn, addresses another task, which I find highly important: Contributing to what is often labeled the “third mission of science”. 

Beyond research and teaching, science creates a value-added for social, environmental and economic development at large. We need to disseminate and communicate the practical implications of our research in clear terms and go out to public debates, parliamentary hearings or government committees.