17 September 2026The measures currently being implemented to address climate change and biodiversity collapse remain insufficient. However, attributing this situation solely to a lack of political will does not provide the full explanation. The nature of the transformations required, as well as the conditions under which contemporary democracies must organise them, also need to be taken into account. Understanding these constraints helps explain why the ecological transition calls for new approaches to governance.
Environmental warnings are now widely communicated by international scientific institutions. But recognising a problem is not enough to solve it.
Over the past three decades, many countries have adopted policies aimed at tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. Assessments conducted at both international and national levels by independent institutions, such as the High Council on Climate in France and the Climate Change Committee in the United Kingdom, point to a common finding: despite genuine progress, the policies implemented remain insufficient to achieve the stated objectives.
This gap is often attributed to a lack of political will, or even political courage. While appealing, this explanation remains incomplete.
- An article by Guy Richard (INRAE, DEPE), Jean-Michel Salles (CNRS Senior Researcher, CEE-M), and Michel Colombier (IDDRI).
This article concludes a trilogy of articles published by the three authors between June and September 2026 in The Conversation:
- 11 June 2026: The catastrophe that is slow to arrive: why do humans seem to be living better on a deteriorating planet?
- 9 July 2026: Why are environmental warnings so difficult to hear?
- 2 September 2026: Why is the ecological transition so difficult to govern?