Rethinking the Transition: Laurence Tubiana Explains The Distinctive Vision of the Paris Climate School

LT : You know, it really feels like a crucial moment in history to create such a school at Sciences Po. The world is undergoing a profound ecological transformation that is reshaping economies, institutions, and democratic systems. We needed a school that brings together all the strengths of the social sciences to tackle the major challenges of our planet and our century on the issue of ecological transition.

We need this because the transition ahead of us is uncertain, and even contested by some. That’s exactly why we need a school that’s vital: a place where the social sciences help us understand what this transition should look like, in constant dialogue with the natural sciences.

And Sciences Po is particularly well equipped for this. We already have faculty members and researchers with strong expertise across all the disciplines needed to address the question of the transition. For us, this is a historical Opportunity, one we simply can’t afford to miss.

And Sciences Po is uniquely equipped for this. We already have faculty with deep expertise across all the disciplines needed to address the transition.

This faculty will make it possible to build a real dialogue between the natural sciences and the essential social sciences, particularly in history, law, economics, political science, sociology. Courses are taught by both the Sciences Po permanent faculty and industry professionals serving as adjunct faculty, bringing real‑world expertise and applied methods.

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LT: First of all, this is a school that’s really a first in Europe. It’s a school fully dedicated to the global transition, but approached from a distinctly European perspective.

The Paris Climate School is the first European programme to tackle the ecological transition through its democratic, political, legal, economic, and financial dimensions, not just through its technical or scientific aspects. That’s exactly what students will be trained in.

The school really focuses on what the social sciences can bring to the transition. Its systemic approach connects different levels of governance: the local level, the national level, and the global challenges, with a strong emphasis on geopolitics, which has now become a key component of any transition toward a greener future.