Interview with Matthieu Glachant and François Lévêque [27 January 2025].

Campus life

27 January

The library is delighted to welcome Matthieu Glachant and François Lévêque for a discussion on their book Survivre à la chaleur.

‘Record temperatures and an increase in extreme weather events are causing considerable loss of life and major destruction to infrastructure, production and ecosystems.

Adaptation therefore seems a necessity. However, adaptation policies are accused of diverting efforts and investments that could be better used to reduce CO2 emissions, and even of contributing to an increase in these emissions.

Contrary to these positions, this book stresses that, far from being opposites, adaptation and mitigation are complementary: adaptation makes it possible to deal with emergencies and provides local solutions, while mitigation acts over the long term and benefits the planet as a whole.

Starting with concrete measures (air conditioning, revegetation, dykes, water management, etc.), the authors analyse their effectiveness and cost. They show how public authorities can support them to avoid maladaptation and protect the most vulnerable.

A plea to understand adaptation not as a failure, but as a reason to hope.’

Matthieu Glachant is a professor of economics at Mines Paris-PSL, specialising in environmental economics, on which he has published numerous academic articles, notably on the subject of adaptation.

François Lévêque is a professor of economics at Mines Paris-PSL. He specialises in energy-climate and competition issues. In 2021 he won the Prix du Livre d’économie des lycéens for his latest book, Les Entreprises hyperpuissantes. Géants et titans, la fin du modèle global?