Abstract
‘Our house is on fire and we are looking the other way. Nature, mutilated and overexploited, can no longer recover, and we refuse to admit it.’ This extract from Jacques Chirac’s speech at the Fourth Earth Summit in 2002 remains strikingly relevant today. The final sentence of his speech – “the concept of sustainable development is a fundamental step forward, to which we must dedicate the advances of science and technology, whilst respecting the precautionary principle” – will be the guiding principle that I propose we explore together in 2026 as part of the Avenir Commun Durable Chair. We will demonstrate how ‘nature-based solutions’ can serve not only as a source of inspiration but also as concrete solutions to the collapse of biodiversity. These solutions fall within the field of global ecology and are based on research into phytotechnologies designed to protect, conserve or even restore degraded and polluted ecosystems, with operational objectives implemented on the ground and on a large scale. These phytotechnologies incorporate phytoremediation, phytosorption and environmentally responsible management to control the spread of invasive alien species.
A better understanding of the plant species studied has revealed a common feature: they all possess an unusual mineral composition, which formed the starting point for a new concept: ecocatalysis. Whilst ecocatalysis forms the foundation of sustainable development, the bio-inspired use of these ecocatalysts has enabled the synthesis of molecules with significant social impact in the fields of fine chemistry, health and wellbeing.
This field embodies a level of rigour rarely achieved at the interface between sustainable chemistry and ecological solutions designed to protect biodiversity. This opening lecture, like the lectures that will follow, conveys a message of hope based on recent scientific research findings.
