Do you want to know how to fully integrate ecological commitment into your student career? Today, we meet Théo, a student at HEC Paris, on a six-month internship with the Ministry of Ecological Transition as head of the Green Finance & CSR Mission.
Published last month, the IPCC report sounded yet another alert on the urgency of climate change. Faced with disruptions and the risks generated, experts are calling on governments, businesses and citizens to adapt their consumption of resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, “adaptation” is one of the key words of chapter 1 of the 2022 IPCC report, a necessary adaptation to build a framework for studying climate issues, to prevent risks and, subsequently, enable development without harming future generations.
Under pressure from consumers, some firms are making an ecological transition such as French e-commerce players who are committed to the environment. Under pressure from students, schools are following the same path like HEC which strengthens the sustainable development component in its course. What about the French government’s work to support the transition? What are the methods of action of the Ministry of Ecological Transition (MTE) on companies and European authorities? How can you enhance your ecological sensitivity through professional experience with the MTE?
Engage with the Ministry of Ecological Transition
85% of students say they are worried, or even anxious, about climate change. If you are a student in business school, engineering school or university, you can get involved in fighting your eco-anxiety.
Can you describe your journey to us and tell us about your commitment to the ecological transition?
My journey and my commitment are intertwined. It was during the preparatory class for business schools that I awakened my sensitivity to the planet. While preparing the personality interviews for the oral exams at the Grandes Ecoles, I realized that I wanted to work to improve the environmental situation. I therefore questioned myself about my personal impact and the levers of action that were open to me. Furthermore, the videos of the L214 group quickly made me aware of the issues surrounding vegetarianism.
After my two years of preparatory class, I joined HEC Paris where I decided to get involved with the ecological association Hope. Within this association, I strengthen my commitment thanks to fruitful debates with convinced students. In addition to these debates, we worked with HEC to make your campus greener on a daily basis.
This commitment to the planet guided my beginnings in the professional world. I did my first gap year at EcoAct, a climate strategy consulting firm. My role was to respond to the needs of companies and territories that decide to act for the climate. As a consultant, I intervened by calculating their carbon footprint, by defining, for companies, global strategies such as reduction trajectories or compensation. For my second part of my gap year, I had the opportunity to continue in this field with an internship within the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
How are recruitments going with the MTE?
I joined a student collective For an ecological awakeningat the origin of the manifesto of the same name. Internship offers were frequently published within the network and the one for the ministry directly attracted me since it combined the application of my skills with my ecological commitment. I applied, then I did a pre-fit interview that I had prepared.
The areas of intervention of an intern at the Ministry of Ecological Transition
The Ministry of Ecological Transition has the general mission of preparing and implementing government policy in all areas linked to ecology, energy transition and the protection of biodiversity.
What were your responsibilities as Green Finance and CSR project manager?
The MTE is divided into several directions. The minister’s office supervises them all, it has a very political dimension since it varies with each election or ministerial reshuffle. The largest department is the CGDD (general commission for sustainable development) divided into several services. For my part, I operate within the Green and Solidarity Economy department, which is itself divided into sub-departments, mine being the business sub-department, in the Green Finance and CSR office. The aim of this office is to ensure the coordination of green finance projects in France and Europe. For example, at the moment, the taxonomy, a tool to redirect funding towards green activities, is under discussion at the European Commission. For this mission, the role of the Green Finance and RSE office is therefore to bring the French voice to the Commission.
At the Ministry of Ecological Transition, did you work on national-scale projects or on local-scale missions?
We do not work on a local scale, but rather French and often European, in particular for the taxonomy project. As soon as the Commission proposes a text, each European Union country concerned must give a position based on its own national interests. In the case of the taxonomy text, the MTE must negotiate the French position with other ministries such as that of Economy and Finance. The Green Finance and RSE office coordinates all opinions within the ministry to arrive at a single position in front of Bercy. All these negotiations are quite complicated because the economic interests defended by Bercy take precedence in the current government.
At the European level, we work on projects which deal, for example, with duty of vigilance and of the CSRD to regulate businesses in the European Union. We work a lot with NGOs and civil society actors who are, in a way, our lobbyists.
Can you tell us more specifically about one of your missions in the service of the green economy?
I am working on a project led by Finance For Tomorrow which brings together private, public and institutional players from the Paris financial center committed to sustainable finance. The initiative was to ensure that all these actors stop contributing to imported deforestation under the SNDI (National strategy to combat imported deforestation). Over several months, we gathered a list of best practices with the help of WWF, Global Canopy and other NGOs, then we presented it to players in the financial market. We called on them to form groups to develop strategies against imported deforestation by the end of summer.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition, what impact on businesses?
How does the ministry’s Green Finance and CSR office impact businesses?
All environmental issues that arise in companies go through the Green Finance and CSR office. If the Green and Solidarity Economy department wants to pass a project on businesses, it will send a reflection sheet to the minister’s office. These projects are mainly regulations which fall within the framework of European regulations. There are also many incentive projects on subjects where the State does not yet wish to fully commit, such as the bill on environmental conditionalities for the coming five-year term. This will involve conditioning state public aid to businesses based on their environmental impact.
Is the State managing to have enough impact on the ecological transition of businesses?
The main obstacle is political: all the decisions taken or refused are the result of the political line in place which sets the priorities. Economic issues are a priority in the current five-year term, at the expense of ecological issues, often neglected or diminished in the face of Bercy’s positions. Predecessors have often criticized the weight of lobbies which leave room for inaction while the problem of ecology receives a rapid response. Robert Poujade, first Minister of Ecology in France, even described the MTE as ministry of the impossible, which again shows the continual waltz of ministers in office.
Théo’s opinion on the ecological transition led by the State
A year ago, the government launched the France Relance plan with a dual ambition: to revive economic activity, affected by the health crisis, and to build the France of 2030. The State provided this project with a budget of 100 billion euros over two years: 30 billion were dedicated to the ecological transition. What is the real impact of these investments undertaken by the State?
As a citizen, do you believe that the French state is able to finance an ecological transition today?
The role of the State remains essential. When we look through the reports of environmental NGOs, public authorities are very often called upon to lead the ecological transition. State control of the financial sector is the royal road to achieving business financing conditioned by ecology. I am convinced that state action is key to succeeding in regulating our economic model and enabling an efficient, fair and equitable transition of our modes of production and consumption. The State, through its regulatory power, can for example pass strong laws, such as the exclusion of companies responsible for deforestation from investors’ financial portfolios. However, our reports also show that the State alone cannot finance the ecological transition. Strategies from the Ministry of Ecological Transition provide a mobilization by the State of the savings of the French for the ecological transition.
Did you notice a difference between the image you had of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and reality?
No difference. I was particularly interested in how it worked before. I was only invited to discover even more obstacles that I did not suspect.
In the future, would you consider getting involved in the green economy with the public or private sector? In what type of structure do you envisage a potential commitment to ecology?
Certainly in the public, because the State is the main engine for a profound transformation of society. I would also like to work at the European level to bring other member countries towards sustainable economies. The aim is to normalize the transition at EU level, so as not to have too much impact on the competitiveness of our companies. In my opinion, the fight against climate change will mainly come down to cooperation between the private and public sector. If the state does not intervene in the economy and industry, companies do the bare minimum. I am therefore keen to strengthen the State’s regulatory leverage over businesses.
