16 November 2023

17:35 – 18:20

Amphithéâtre Faure

Fabrice Flipo

Fabrice Flipo is a philosopher, Professor at Institut Mines-Télécom BS and researcher at the Laboratoire de Changement Social et Politique (Université de Paris Cité). His work focuses on ecologism, major political ideas, social and political change, and the more specific case of digital ecology. He is notably the author of Le développement durable et ses critiques (Bréal, 2022), L’impératif de la sobriété numérique (Matériologiques, 2020).

Conference: What is sobriety?

At a time of ecological planning, particularly with regard to climate objectives, energy is at the heart of discussions. Government measures focus on energy sources (renewable or nuclear), energy efficiency (building insulation, digital technology, etc.) and sobriety. The latter, however, remains relatively misunderstood, often confused with efficiency, which consists in consuming fewer resources for the same good or service. What exactly does it imply? Is it really necessary? Is it compatible with the economic growth that is sought at the same time? To what extent does it involve questions of justice? In concrete terms, can we demand a similar investment from the richest and the poorest? The example of international climate negotiations shows quite the opposite: it is on questions of justice that the main stumbling blocks lie.