Description : Abundant and inexpensive energy supply has until now allowed mankind a
steady (although uneven) development as seen from a purely economic standpoint.
On the other hand, green house gas emissions (dominated by carbon
dioxide and methane) which arise primarily from energy consumption and the
ensuing ecological impacts now appear to threaten the sustainability of his development.
In international forums, it is often forcefully stated that actions have to
be taken rapidly at the world level in order to avoid irrecoverable negative and
possibly catastrophic climate changes on our planet. Many scenarios such as
SRES for the 21st century by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
address those complex relationships between economic development and energy
consumptions both in developed and developing nations which are affecting climate
changes.
In the short term, from the standpoint of both energy availability and environmental
consequences, while assessing the constraints imposed by the laws of
Nature, it is important to quantify the possible efficiency improvements of those
technologies which are either already available or within reach, as well as the
channeling of these technologies through present economic and political institutions.
In the long term, it is important to identify the most promising lines of
innovative research along with the measures to be taken in order to acieve a
sustainable development by the harmonious integration of all the components or
our societies.
Using mostly competences available within the CNRS and JSPS, the aim of
this colloquium is to approach these questions from the dual perspective of our two research institutions.