11 Green as a Moral Obligation France’s Ambassador to Finland, Serge Mostura, spoke to Ensto Today about the nexus of energy and diplomacy. Scott Diel Patrick Stycz 50 percent in 2050), reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (down 75 percent in 2050), reduction of the consumption of fossil fuels (down 30 percent in 2030) and increase of renewable energies (32 percent of total energy consump-tion in 2030). Nuclear energy will indeed remain significant in this new energy mix, close to the new Finnish mix, actually, as about half of the electricity used in France 10 years from now should come from nuclear reactors. Do you see a way for Finland and Ensto to play a role in France’s energy transition? Many Finnish companies could be of great assistance in implementing this strategy as Finland is a leading country in terms of use of renewable energies, especially biomass, which will be developed in France, too. This new law shall also provide opportunities for “green economic growth” which could be of interest for Finnish companies. For instance, the French administration should start replacing its old cars by new “clean cars” (electric or not) in 2016, and all buildings in France will progressively become low-energy-consumption buildings by 2050. New technologies have to be developed, some of them will have to be improved over the years, and thus there definitely is a new market opening for engineers’ skills. Investments from the private sector will be also needed. Ensto, which proposes for example solutions for electrical cars or for smart grids, will have certainly a role to play. Read the full text of this interview at Ensto Today online, www.EnstoToday.com. What are the basic keys to being a good partner for France and French enterprises? The two countries have in common a strong national emphasis on the importance of education and training, especially in math and engineering. And in France just like in Finland economic competitiveness is seen to be based on innovation and quality rather than on cheap products. On top of it, Finnish companies have a good reputation in France for being responsible employers, open to dialogue and having a good sense of organization. Does the French way of working combine well with the Finnish way of working? There certainly are some differences in the way of doing business but nothing spectacular. It’s more the kind of minute adjustment you have to make when you meet a good friend you haven’t seen in a long time. If I were to give some advice I would only say to a Finnish businessman “Be ready to talk,” and to a French businessman “Be ready to read”! Is France still engaged in actively diminishing fossil and carbon consuming energies, as well as developing solar, biomass, and wind in addition to its nuclear energy? In October 2014, the French Parliament started the discus-sion of a draft law entitled “Energy Transition for Green Growth.” This law – it should be formally adopted at the beginning of March 2015 – will list targets, figures and dates: reduction of our overall energy consumption (down ensto today | ISSUES
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