**Sufficiency a key issue in responding to the climate emergency** Against the backdrop of an unprecedented climate crisis, sufficiency is emerging as an **essential solution to environmental challenges**. Beyond simply reducing consumption, sufficiency invites us to **rethink the way we live, produce and consume** in a more sustainable and equitable way. Increasingly present in public debate, sufficiency questions the way in which we can combine **energy efficiency, social justice and the preservation of natural resources.** This approach, which goes far beyond mere **technical efficiency**, raises some profound questions: **how can we redefine our needs at source?** How can we promote **individual and collective change** towards more responsible consumption, while taking account of social and economic realities? The new edition of the **FACTS Report** explores these complex issues, offering a range of perspectives on how sufficiency is emerging as a key response to **climate and societal** challenges. ### Discover: - [The Foreword](https://www.institut.veolia.org/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/document/2024/09/Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_GB_Web_AVANT-PROPOS.pdf) of **Mamphela Ramphele**, Former Managing Director of the World Bank and Member of the Veolia Institute’s Foresight Committee - [Introduction](https://www.institut.veolia.org/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/document/2024/09/Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_GB_Web_INTRODUCTION.pdf) of **Nicolas Renard**, Executive Director of the Veolia Institute [Read the full pdf of the review](https://www.institut.veolia.org/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/document/2024/10/Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_GB_Web_Interactif_0.pdf) ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/default/public/image/2024/09/VEOLIA_FACTS%20REPORTS%20SOBRIETE_2024_GB_V10-1_page-0001.jpg.webp?itok=UwzNJGXR) ### 1. Multiple perspectives on sufficiency Although sufficiency is now collective, its primary goal remains focused on changing how individuals behave [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/09/05_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_C_Desaunay.jpg.webp?itok=Y3ohX2dl) ](/en/welcome-age-deconsumption "Welcome to the age of deconsumption ") Understanding [Welcome to the age of deconsumption ](/en/welcome-age-deconsumption "Welcome to the age of deconsumption ") Cécile Désaunay Futuribles [Read more](/en/welcome-age-deconsumption "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/09/03_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_M_Saujot.jpg.webp?itok=1lga2sDv) ](/en/social-and-political-challenges-sufficiency "Social and political challenges to sufficiency") Understanding [Social and political challenges to sufficiency](/en/social-and-political-challenges-sufficiency "Social and political challenges to sufficiency") Mathieu Saujot Iddri [Read more](/en/social-and-political-challenges-sufficiency "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/10/02_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_E_Westacott.jpg.webp?itok=_VnzSSmB) ](/en/frugality-good-life-good-society "FRUGALITY: from the good life to the good society") UNDERSTANDING [FRUGALITY: from the good life to the good society](/en/frugality-good-life-good-society "FRUGALITY: from the good life to the good society") Emrys Westacott Alfred University, NY [Read more](/en/frugality-good-life-good-society "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/10/01_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_I_Levy-D_Menasce.jpg.webp?itok=aSJ3Xe9h) ](/en/sufficiency-social-and-symbolic-challenges-scoping-and-presentation-issue " Sufficiency: the social and symbolic challenges scoping and presentation of this issue") UNDERSTANDING [ Sufficiency: the social and symbolic challenges scoping and presentation of this issue](/en/sufficiency-social-and-symbolic-challenges-scoping-and-presentation-issue " Sufficiency: the social and symbolic challenges scoping and presentation of this issue") Iris Levy, David Ménascé Archipel&Co [Read more](/en/sufficiency-social-and-symbolic-challenges-scoping-and-presentation-issue "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/10/04_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_A_Pommeret%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=B9ldQ7Ft) ](/en/elective-sufficiency-and-individual-behavioral-changes-insights-economics "Elective sufficiency and individual behavioral changes: insights from economics") UNDERSTANDING [Elective sufficiency and individual behavioral changes: insights from economics](/en/elective-sufficiency-and-individual-behavioral-changes-insights-economics "Elective sufficiency and individual behavioral changes: insights from economics") Aude Pommeret Professor of economics [Read more](/en/elective-sufficiency-and-individual-behavioral-changes-insights-economics "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/11/06_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_M_Korsnes.jpg.webp?itok=58xgEXXu) ](/en/sufficiency-and-china-can-we-find-middle-way-animal-based-foods "SUFFICIENCY AND CHINA: Can we find a middle way for animal-based foods?") UNDERSTANDING [SUFFICIENCY AND CHINA: Can we find a middle way for animal-based foods?](/en/sufficiency-and-china-can-we-find-middle-way-animal-based-foods "SUFFICIENCY AND CHINA: Can we find a middle way for animal-based foods?") Marius Korsnes Associate Professor at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture [Read more](/en/sufficiency-and-china-can-we-find-middle-way-animal-based-foods "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/11/07_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_B_Bassy.jpg.webp?itok=Wzj0T2T8) ](/en/living-water-look-sufficiency-cameroon "LIVING WATER: a look at sufficiency in Cameroon") UNDERSTANDING [LIVING WATER: a look at sufficiency in Cameroon](/en/living-water-look-sufficiency-cameroon "LIVING WATER: a look at sufficiency in Cameroon") Blick Bassy Singer, songwriter, producer, and musician [Read more](/en/living-water-look-sufficiency-cameroon "Read more") ### 2. Sufficiency under debate: political and social challenges The acceptability of sufficiency, as well as its desirability, are conditioned as much by political and social considerations as by symbolism [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/09/10_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_S_Boni.jpg.webp?itok=WN1-D8Iq) ](/en/era-comfort-threat-suffiency "The era of comfort, a threat to suffiency? ") DEBATE [The era of comfort, a threat to suffiency? ](/en/era-comfort-threat-suffiency "The era of comfort, a threat to suffiency? ") Stefano Boni Anthropologist [Read more](/en/era-comfort-threat-suffiency "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/11/08_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_A_Terzi%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=HLaAeRSJ) ](/en/sufficiency-green-growth-acting-what-matters "FROM SUFFICIENCY TO GREEN GROWTH: acting on what matters") DEBATE [FROM SUFFICIENCY TO GREEN GROWTH: acting on what matters](/en/sufficiency-green-growth-acting-what-matters "FROM SUFFICIENCY TO GREEN GROWTH: acting on what matters") Alessio Terzi Economist at the European Commission and Lecturer (Sciences Po, HEC Paris) [Read more](/en/sufficiency-green-growth-acting-what-matters "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/11/09_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_E_Currid_Halkett%20%282%29.jpg.webp?itok=Y2eFUGd3) ](/en/inconspicuous-consumption-new-form-social-distinction "INCONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, A NEW FORM OF SOCIAL DISTINCTION?") DEBATE [INCONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, A NEW FORM OF SOCIAL DISTINCTION?](/en/inconspicuous-consumption-new-form-social-distinction "INCONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION, A NEW FORM OF SOCIAL DISTINCTION?") Interview with Dr. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, Author, speaker, researcher, professor of Public Policy [Read more](/en/inconspicuous-consumption-new-form-social-distinction "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/11/11_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_N_Ben_Kemoun-P_Vigey%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=MkpdU8mt) ](/en/ecological-redirection-and-intensive-sufficiency-which-forms-coexistence-should-we-embrace "ECOLOGICAL REDIRECTION AND INTENSIVE SUFFICIENCY: which forms of coexistence should we embrace?") DEBATE [ECOLOGICAL REDIRECTION AND INTENSIVE SUFFICIENCY: which forms of coexistence should we embrace?](/en/ecological-redirection-and-intensive-sufficiency-which-forms-coexistence-should-we-embrace "ECOLOGICAL REDIRECTION AND INTENSIVE SUFFICIENCY: which forms of coexistence should we embrace?") Nathan Ben Kemoun, Doctor in Management Sciences and teacher and researcher at ESC Clermont Business School Pauline Vigey, Trained economist who studied at CERDI (research center on international development) and Clermont Auvergne University [Read more](/en/ecological-redirection-and-intensive-sufficiency-which-forms-coexistence-should-we-embrace "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/12_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_M_Lawhon-T_McCreary%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=aGhbHckE) ](/en/enough-neither-more-or-less-better "‘ENOUGH’ AS NEITHER MORE OR LESS, BUT BETTER!") DEBATE [‘ENOUGH’ AS NEITHER MORE OR LESS, BUT BETTER!](/en/enough-neither-more-or-less-better "‘ENOUGH’ AS NEITHER MORE OR LESS, BUT BETTER!") Mary Lawhon, Senior Lecturer of Human Geography at University of Edinburgh Tyler McCreary, Associate professor in the Department of Geography at Florida State University [Read more](/en/enough-neither-more-or-less-better "Read more") ### 3. Sufficiency in action: variants, operationalizations, hybridizations Sufficiency is often coupled with value-creation models, inviting us to see sufficiency and performance as a complementary pairing rather than mutually exclusive alternatives [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/09/14_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_A_de_Souza.jpg.webp?itok=he9hxwyz) ](/en/leboncoin-sufficiency-success-story "leboncoin, a sufficiency success story?") ACT [leboncoin, a sufficiency success story?](/en/leboncoin-sufficiency-success-story "leboncoin, a sufficiency success story?") Amandine de Souza leboncoin [Read more](/en/leboncoin-sufficiency-success-story "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/13_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_L_Lehmann_Ortega%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=mQFuPdss) ](/en/efficiency-renouncement-toward-emergence-new-business-models "FROM EFFICIENCY TO RENOUNCEMENT: toward the emergence of new business models") ACT [FROM EFFICIENCY TO RENOUNCEMENT: toward the emergence of new business models](/en/efficiency-renouncement-toward-emergence-new-business-models "FROM EFFICIENCY TO RENOUNCEMENT: toward the emergence of new business models") Laurence Lehmann Ortega Professor of Strategy and Business Policy, HEC Paris [Read more](/en/efficiency-renouncement-toward-emergence-new-business-models "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/15_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_S_Calvino.jpg.webp?itok=DE8UDUyt) ](/en/fashion-and-sufficiency-challenge "FASHION AND THE SUFFICIENCY CHALLENGE") ACT [FASHION AND THE SUFFICIENCY CHALLENGE](/en/fashion-and-sufficiency-challenge "FASHION AND THE SUFFICIENCY CHALLENGE") Stéphanie Calvino Designer and founder of the Anti_Fashion Project [Read more](/en/fashion-and-sufficiency-challenge "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/16_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_C_Halpern.jpg.webp?itok=pJlUZhCM) ](/en/what-does-frugal-city-look "WHAT DOES THE FRUGAL CITY LOOK LIKE?") ACT [WHAT DOES THE FRUGAL CITY LOOK LIKE?](/en/what-does-frugal-city-look "WHAT DOES THE FRUGAL CITY LOOK LIKE?") Charlotte Halpern Political scientist and researcher at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics at Sciences Po Paris [Read more](/en/what-does-frugal-city-look "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/17_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_X_Brisbois.jpg.webp?itok=vvoipFhr) ](/en/how-can-social-sciences-help-change-behaviors-example-energy "HOW CAN SOCIAL SCIENCES HELP CHANGE BEHAVIORS? The example of energy") ACT [HOW CAN SOCIAL SCIENCES HELP CHANGE BEHAVIORS? The example of energy](/en/how-can-social-sciences-help-change-behaviors-example-energy "HOW CAN SOCIAL SCIENCES HELP CHANGE BEHAVIORS? The example of energy") Xavier Brisbois Doctor of social psychology [Read more](/en/how-can-social-sciences-help-change-behaviors-example-energy "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/18_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_J-F_Nogrette%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=pMQkZbv0) ](/en/sufficiency-challenges-veolia-water-france "SUFFICIENCY: challenges for Veolia Water France") ACT [SUFFICIENCY: challenges for Veolia Water France](/en/sufficiency-challenges-veolia-water-france "SUFFICIENCY: challenges for Veolia Water France") Jean-François Nogrette, Senior Executive Vice President, France and Special Waste Europe, Veolia [Read more](/en/sufficiency-challenges-veolia-water-france "Read more") [ ![](/sites/g/files/dvc2551/files/styles/content_push_teaser/public/image/2024/12/19_Veolia_FACTS_26_2024_Web_P_Bihouix.jpg.webp?itok=NqA66t3F) ](/en/toward-systemic-sufficiency "TOWARD SYSTEMIC SUFFICIENCY") ACT [TOWARD SYSTEMIC SUFFICIENCY](/en/toward-systemic-sufficiency "TOWARD SYSTEMIC SUFFICIENCY") Philippe Bihouix Chief Executive Officer, AREP Group [Read more](/en/toward-systemic-sufficiency "Read more")