Organized by Christophe Béchu, the French Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, this meeting aimed to bring together elected representatives, citizens, economic players, civil society and experts around a major issue, adaptation to climate disruption. Estelle Brachlianoff, Managing Director of Veolia, was invited to take part in the round table entitled "Solutions for adapting France", reminding us that it is imperative that the regulatory framework be adapted to climate action.
An implacable observation
The effects of global warming are already being felt in France, and the situation is only worsening, as recent events have highlighted. While efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions remain indispensable, it has become imperative for our societies and territories to prepare for a climate change that is partly unavoidable.
The "France adapts" initiative follows on from the conference organized by France Stratégie and the Institut de l'Économie pour le Climat (I4CE) in January 2023, at which Christophe Béchu called for adaptation to a +4 degree trajectory. This proposal aims to protect the population and strengthen the resilience of the French economy. Faced with this eventuality and to prevent future risks, the French Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion has proposed the creation of a warming trajectory for adaptation to climate change (TRACC), which will become the basis of the third National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC-3).
Action as the only compass;
Estelle Brachlianoff's participation in this round table underscores the importance of the role of economic players in the transition to a more resilient model in the face of climate change. As CEO of Veolia, a global champion of ecological transformation, the Group's CEO brought a unique perspective on how the private sector can contribute to France's adaptation to climate challenges, and in particular to water issues.
She urged swift action, stressing that many solutions exist and can already be implemented. To this end, Veolia's CEO called for a legislative and regulatory framework conducive to innovation and adaptation, aligned with today's challenges. These are all challenges that will enable us to respond concretely to the ecological transformation, and complement the major investments made by the Group in this direction.
Water, a precious resource
On the occasion of this round table, Estelle Brachlianoff stressed the urgent need to rethink the societal approach to water, by implementing all possible solutions to "put an end to water wastage", such as the reuse of treated wastewater. Referring to concrete success stories, she shared the example of Alicante, in southern Spain, where the recreation of an urban park was made possible thanks to innovative water solutions.
Estelle Brachlianoff also highlighted the importance of initiating discussions around "Net Zero Water", an initiative supported by Veolia, announced at COP28, which the Group's CEO attended. A lack of visibility on water issues that she highlights in comparison with the ubiquitous discussions on CO2 and "Net Zero Carbon" initiatives.
We have one imperative: to protect water resources. By calling on companies like Veolia, elected officials are choosing a local player with global expertise to help them adapt to local conditions. We need to adapt with agility to a new environmental deal, and act collectively, to ensure a more resilient future in the face of climate challenges.
Estelle Brachlianoff at the conference
Acceleration is the watchword
The "France adapts" morning thus offered an essential platform for discussing the solutions needed to ensure our country's resilience in the face of an uncertain climate future. Through the sharing of knowledge and the involvement of various players, this political initiative aims to pave the way towards a France that is more adapted and resilient to climate upheaval.
Wherever possible, Veolia proposes to accelerate the implementation of concrete solutions to take action and make a difference. With 2,000 sites around the world already taking special care to optimize their processes and accelerate the deployment of concrete solutions to combat climate change, Veolia is positioning itself as a player committed to building a sustainable and desirable world. And Estelle Brachlianoff calls on all of us to mobilize to act, now!