Ideas summary from the Ideas Dinner which took place on 29 March 2022 in Paris, France.

This succinct summary does not do justice to the richness of your idea. It is just destined to remind you of who said what. Should you wish to go into more depth about any of these, access the whole “stock” of ideas from other dinners, relate the ideas to the content of the Monthly Barometer, or, even better, get in touch with the person who originated an idea to discuss it in more detail.

Ideas below are listed in no particular order.

  1. Leverage the war in Ukraine as a ‘unique opportunity’ to (1) accelerate the energy transition, (2) push forward further EU integration and (3) replace the ‘death economy’ (carbon-emitting, wellbeing destroyer) with the ‘life economy’ (green, etc.). (JA)
  2. A national campaign for energy independence promoted by the younger generations The objective would be to change the mindset in terms of how much discomfort we are prepared to accept and thus accelerate consumer and lifestyle changes. (CB)
  3. Entice the banks to offer some of their closing high-street bank retail agencies to groups of diverse advisers (accountants, strategists, lawyers, etc.) willing to provide free advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. (PB)
  4. Create a “Cyber-Neet” programme providing 100 000 under-educated, unemployed, and unqualified young people with cyber-security education. In return, their new-won skills could be deployed to help local communities and businesses become cyber resilient. (VB)
  5. Open a bank account for each new-born baby into which the state will credit a similar amount for all – a form of universal income that offers the added benefits of accumulation over a longer period and a framework for more widespread financial education. (BD)
  6. Expand the concept of a pop-up think-tank created along the lines of what is done with pop-up art installations or fashion outlets: an impermanent think-tank with a pre-defined life span of just a few years that addresses the most pressing issues of the moment. (YD)
  7. Ponder where we need to go to seek solace for our souls (“les lieux de soin de l’âme”): books, nature, the arts and re-consider their place in our individual and collective lives. (DF)
  8. Think about this: the most violent conflicts can be explained by a simple explanation: the opponents are twins. Hence, to weaken an opponent, approach a clone at close distance, and to strengthen yourself, look for the disturbing few who have a different vision. (TF)
  9. A post-war initiative to re-establish connections with the Russian population. This could take the form of an exchange programme specifically between the West and Russia targeting youth and students with a particular focus on culture and science. (VD)
  10. Harness the new technologies associated with web 3 to build a new ‘civic’ tech infrastructure that is more decentralized and more equitable, ensuring that the internet becomes a true public good and protects our personal data. (JHE)
  11. A DAO – Decentralized Autonomous Organization – for community driven behavioural change that rewards or funds initiatives at personal and community level to reduce carbon emissions. (NG)
  12. Emulate the highly successful example of “Resilience” – a company created during COVID that on-shored the production of masks with no prior expertise while relying on a workforce of individuals formerly considered as fragile and marginalized. (PG)
  13. Create an app or technological device that measures the water intensity of what we eat and thus enable us to monitor the water impact of the food we consume. This should encourage us to make more nature friendly food decisions. (SH)
  14. A movement on the part of social media users calling for a moratorium on all social media activity. This would serve as a means of expressing users’ backlash, forcing the tech giants to come clean about where their ‘red lines’ really lie. (MAM)
  15. Create a media outlet dedicated to “women and money” that addresses the persistent problem of female financial fragility. The idea is grounded in the conviction that progress for women will come from improved financial education for all. (SLM)
  16. Create and diffuse wildlife conservation bonds that do not pay a coupon, but have a remuneration system based upon improved of wildlife or biodiversity statistics in pre- defined areas, monitored by an independent entity. (TM)
  17. Harness the crowdfunding concept by providing every person aged 15-25 with a voucher destined to invest in a small local project. This would foster entrepreneurship while also creating bonds and social capital in the community. (PP)
  18. Put in place a systematic, nation-wide domestic twinning system between privileged and underserved middle schools that breaks down social barriers and promotes greater mutual understanding and empathy. (IS)
  19. Create an independent institute monitoring migration (un ‘observatoire de la migration’) and that offers a different narrative, putting positive spin on the many different benefits associated with migration. (RS)