Why Decarbonization Is a Driver of Competitiveness
On the occasion of the latest edition of BIG (Bpifrance Inno Generation), which brought together thousands of business leaders and entrepreneurs at the Accor Arena, François Gemenne, Professor and Associate Director for Climate at the S&O Institute at HEC Paris, spoke to re-examine the role of the ecological transition at the core of business models.
While transition policies are facing growing backlash—often incorrectly perceived as an added burden of constraints, costs, and risks to competitiveness—facts and recent geopolitical developments demonstrate precisely the opposite.
Deconstructing Misconceptions: 3 Economic and Strategic Levers
Beyond environmental arguments, decarbonization has become the cornerstone of economic resilience and sovereignty through three major imperatives:
1. Cost and Budget Control
Dependence on fossil fuels poses a direct financial risk to the budgets of households, businesses, and states. In 2025, European governments' import bill for oil and liquefied natural gas reached nearly €500 billion. The accelerated momentum in the electric vehicle market (42% of new car sales in France in September) reflects a pragmatic economic choice by consumers facing high fuel prices.
2. International Competitiveness
Today, out of every €3 invested in the energy transition worldwide, €2 are invested in China. This strategic choice is not driven by ideology, but by the ambition to provide Chinese industry with abundant, cheap, and decarbonized electricity. In a 21st century centered on electrification, mastering clean energy is the sine qua non condition for industrial competitiveness.
3. Geopolitical Sovereignty and Independence
With fossil fuel import dependency reaching 51% in France and exceeding 75% in Germany and Italy, Europe is exposing itself to critical geopolitical vulnerability. Reducing this dependence through electrification and energy efficiency is, above all, a plan for national independence and security.
Transformer la contrainte en projet d'avenir
Historiquement présentée sous l'angle du sacrifice, la transition écologique doit être appréhendée comme un véritable projet stratégique d'entreprise. Dans l'économie de demain, plus circulaire et bas carbone, les organisations ancrées dans les modèles fossiles risquent le décrochage.
"The transition is obviously good for the climate, but above all, it is good for purchasing power, the competitiveness of our companies, and European sovereignty."
— François Gemenne
To learn more, check out the latest Carbon Footprint Radar barometer, which explores how companies measure and manage their carbon footprint.
