Mobility sphere Interview Climate

Why is climate adaptation a crucial issue?

Ronan Dantec, Senator at the French Senate Rédigé le January 06, 2025

Ronan Dantec: “The weather is simply changing. We are seeing more and more extreme events: summers are hotter, it rains more often. Our daily lives are changing.” [00:08] “Now, we need to organize our lifestyles, our public decisions, and our investments in relation to what is changing. Hence the now major need for an in‑depth debate. We are only at the beginning of this discussion on what we should do in response to the likely trajectories of climate evolution.” [00:14] “I believe that France has taken a strong responsibility—quite unique in the world, we must say—by adopting a reference trajectory that is no longer a set of scenarios. […] The +4 degrees in France, which is actually +3 degrees globally, is a realistic trajectory since it broadly corresponds to the current commitments of States.” [00:35] “At some point, we have to state things clearly: even by increasing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the 2‑degree target is no longer attainable today. […] Taking +3 degrees globally, which means about +4 degrees for France as a reference trajectory, implies that public authorities organize themselves around this trajectory in their investments and in their regulations.” [01:13] “Without a trajectory, there is no adaptation. As long as we keep discussing various scenarios without truly knowing which one to adopt, we cannot adapt. So I believe France has taken a real leap forward by deciding, through the PNACC 3 (the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan), on this trajectory.” [01:50] “Mobility systems, like all others, must consider all the consequences of this +4‑degree scenario. There are many: risks of service disruptions during extreme events (so we need plans to maintain service after a storm or flood), and the issue of travel comfort. For instance, is it too hot in the metro, which might push people back to using their cars?” [02:20] “There are also technical questions such as rail expansion: in a +4‑degree trajectory, what type of alloy should be used? […] There are technical issues, more social issues, and the need to find the right level of investment so that public transport remains accessible to everyone.” [02:50] “I note, however, that in a very short time, this debate has become central. Now we really need to move into operational action.” [03:11]

In this interview, Ronan Dantec, Senator for Loire Atlantique, explains why adapting to climate change is crucial.

Why is climate adaptation a crucial issue?

We're facing more and more extreme events: it's hotter in summer, it rains more often... Our daily lives are changing. Now we have to organize our lifestyles, our public decisions and our investments to take all this into account. Hence the major challenge of having an in-depth debate. We're only at the beginning, but we need a trajectory that takes climate change into account.

Where we are today in our climate adaptation trajectory?

I think that France has taken on a strong responsibility by adopting a reference trajectory that is no longer a set of scenarios. Since the issue of climate change has been on the table, we've tended to debate different scenarios: the least catastrophic at around 1.5 degrees, the most catastrophic at 6/7 degrees of global temperature rise. The +4 degrees in France represents +3 degrees worldwide. This is a lucid trajectory, since it corresponds broadly to the commitments made by governments today. Knowing the inertia of the major economies in China, Europe and the United States, we're still going to reach +3 degrees. Even if we increase our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, +2 degrees is unattainable today.

We therefore need to take +3 degrees at global level, which means roughly +4 degrees at French level on a reference trajectory on which public authorities are organizing themselves. Taking social protection as an example, at what temperature are people not allowed to work outside? This will affect the building trades and farming. Without a trajectory, there can be no adaptation. If we continue to discuss different scenarios, without really knowing which one to take, there will be no adaptation. France has taken a giant step forward by deciding, in the PNACC-3 (National Program for Adaptation to Climate Change), to set French society in motion to rise to this challenge.

What role for mobility in climate adaptation?

Like all other stakeholders, the mobility sector must ask itself what all the consequences of this +4 degrees will be. We're only just beginning to think about this, but we can see the risk of service interruptions due to extreme events, for which plans are needed to maintain mobility services after storms or floods, while taking passenger comfort into account. It can't be too hot in the metro, for example, or people will go back to their cars because of the lack of comfort on public transport.

There are both technical and social issues, and the aim is to find the right level of investment to ensure that public transport remains accessible to all.