Report on the behalf of the Parliamentary Office of assessment of scientific and technological choices on the implications of the objective of energy sobriety in the field of technological innovation and research - National Assembly Nr. 1445, Senate Nr. 776

This report presents and discusses the main stakes of energy sobriety, be regarding the struggle against climate change, the reduction of the pressure on mineral resources, or the acceptability of energy infrastructures. It first discusses the meaning of energy sobriety (ancient notion, resulting from a collective framework, symbiotic or governed, in the French and European regulatory and legal frameworks). It discusses the interest of sobriety (struggle against climate change, respect of the limitations of the Planet, an easier acceptability of energy infrastructures, struggle against the rebound effect, to strengthen resilience, co-benefits, impact of sobriety on climate and energy scenarios). It discusses obstacles to sobriety, the articulation between sobriety and other concepts of sustainable development (circular economy, low tech), and proposes an overview of sobriety policies in France, Japan, Germany and Nordic countries. Innovation and research stakes are finally addressed: a research to be developed (emergence of the concept in the academic world, position of France in the research on energy sobriety, variety of involved disciplines), technological innovations to be accelerated (in building, transports, industry, and digital sector). About twenty recommendations are finally stated which range from the generalisation of active management in buildings, to the lifetime extension of digital equipment, while passing by the support to the development of a fleet of light vehicles