The Conversation and the Australian French Embassy presented a panel between French and Australian experts at the University of New South Wales in March, opened by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault.
In his opening remarks, Ayrault celebrated the signing and coming into force of the 2015 Paris Agreement, under which countries agreed to limit warming to well-below 2℃, however he highlighted that more action needs to be taken around the world.
“Some are tempted to slow it down, or worse, to take a step backwards. We can currently see this in the United States.
“Tackling climate change is a democratic fight. Individual actions are like votes: on their own, they seem powerless, but together, they give new meaning to our societies,” he said.
The Conversation asked French and Australian experts what they consider to be the major challenges to overcome in transitioning to a more sustainable world :
- Reseacher, IDéT, EM Normandie
- Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
- Researcher, Université de Perpignan
