The Shift Project unveils 20 urgent actions to drive the energy transition

How can the energy transition succeed in a fragmented world marked by repeated shocks? In early 2022, The Shift Project, a think tank led by engineer Jean-Marc Jancovici, published a “Plan for Transforming the French Economy.” Its goal was to put France on track to move away from fossil fuels by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 5% per year, assuming a stable and predictable environment.

Four years later, emissions cuts have decreased sharply in France (−1.5% between 2024 and 2025). The climate issue has been relegated, despite the worsening effects of climate change. An unprecedented energy crisis, triggered by war in the Middle East, has sent oil and gas prices soaring and disrupted supply chains. In response to this uncertain context, The Shift Project is proposing a new plan, titled “Robust Plan for the French Economy.” The first part was published on Tuesday, April 14, with the full version expected in October.

The think tank maintains that France can still achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, despite the delays, if all available levers are used simultaneously. France, it says, must both massively electrify uses and equipment, significantly increase low-carbon electricity production, curb overall energy consumption and protect natural carbon sinks such as forests, which are under growing stress. These priorities also appear in the French government’s upcoming national low-carbon strategy and the new multi-year energy program.

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