Why sustainable lifestyles are spreading among French citizens

Paris City Hall: For Paris 2024, the world's first Olympics and Paralympics to actively contribute to climate action, the goal is to reduce CO2 emissions to 50% of previous Games. (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

Through an interview with Kimihiko Nagata, an expert on sustainability in Europe and France, we explore hints for sustainability in Japan's future.

※This series is a spin-off of interviews originally published on the DENTSU SOKEN INC . website. The interviewer is Rie Tanaka from Dentsu Global Business Center.
<Table of Contents>

▼Where does the high environmental literacy of the French come from?

▼Differences in views on nature between Europe and Japan

▼France has been trying to move away from shareholder primacy since 2010

▼Intergenerational collaboration is key to business growth

▼Japan's traditional lifestyle attracting global attention

Where does the French people's high environmental literacy come from?

French farmers' markets (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

──While the term "SDGs" has become familiar in Japan, consumer behavior still seems limited to bringing reusable bags. How much sustainability-conscious consumption is visible in France?

Nagata: The book "French Women Don't Need More Than 10 Outfits" (by Jennifer L. Scott) is symbolic, but according to the "Baromètre GreenFlex-ADEME 2019" survey by GreenFlex and ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), 86% of respondents said they "want to consume less."

The same survey also found that 84% prefer buying locally sourced seasonal produce over imported organic ingredients, indicating a growing trend of cutting out middlemen by purchasing directly from small shops or producers. While supermarkets stock bananas even in winter, the prevailing view is that transporting them from Africa or South America consumes fuel and is environmentally harmful. There is a growing movement advocating eating what is in season, locally sourced, or at most from within Europe. The popularity of specialty bulk stores also stems from a desire to minimize packaging.

Regarding livestock, breeding conditions are becoming stricter by law. Furthermore, establishing ranches involves cutting down trees and using pesticides, which are harmful to the environment. Consequently, there is a movement to reduce meat consumption as much as possible. The number of vegans is increasing, and even among those who aren't fully vegan, there is a growing trend to reduce meat consumption from five times a week to three times a week.

Supermarket bulk section (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

Organic products are on average 1.7 to 1.8 times more expensive than mass-produced items, making them difficult for those facing economic hardship to afford. Furthermore, proposed increases in gasoline taxes would be a heavy burden for people barely making ends meet who rely on daily car use.

Consequently, rethinking the market economy is gaining attention from an environmental perspective. In the aforementioned "Baromètre GreenFlex-ADEME 2019," 95% agreed that "economic growth needs to be fundamentally reevaluated," and 80% stated that "as long as economic inequality exists, progress on environmental issues will be limited."

──That shows remarkably high awareness. Are concrete efforts actually being made to reduce this economic disparity?

Nagata: As a policy, efforts to reduce inequality have been ongoing. The minimum wage is already relatively high, and for example, if the inflation rate reaches 3%, the minimum wage is legally required to increase by 3% as well. Policies aim to lift economically disadvantaged groups, while also collecting taxes from high-income earners. The sense is that it's only natural for high-income earners to pay higher taxes, as they occupy more space, travel more, and consume more energy.

Farm-to-Consumer Lockers (Photo: Nagata Kimihiko)

──Why has France been able to instill such a deep understanding of environmental causality and practical solutions?

Nagata: There's a sense of pride in seeing the Paris Agreement through. Beyond government announcements, advertisements for various environmental events, seminars, and exhibitions are plastered in the subway. Experts also speak through the media, ensuring widespread exposure. Throughout the city, clear displays show how specific actions impact the environment and increase CO2 emissions, guiding consumer behavior accordingly. There's also pressure on manufacturers: PCs, TVs, refrigerators—products with a 10-year lifespan won't cut it. They need to make things that last 30 years.

──What about plastic reduction?

Nagata: The increase in reuse of secondhand goods is having a significant impact on toys. Toys are only used for a year or two at most, so the increase in waste every Christmas season has become a problem, and the movement to reuse them has grown in recent years. As a result, sales during the Christmas shopping season have plummeted. There is also opposition to Black Friday for encouraging mass consumption, and there is a movement to make it Green Friday instead.

Differences between Europe and Japan in their view of nature

Prefectural park receiving Ecocert certification (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

──It seems that France is a few years ahead of Japan in terms of sustainability practices. What are the reasons for the slow progress in Japan?

Nagata: Regarding nature, the fundamental difference in perspective between Western Europe and Japan also plays a role.

The SD part of SDGs, the concept of sustainable development, actually originated in France in the 14th century. It was established in a law called the "Forest Ordinance" by Philip VI. People cut trees in the forest to make furniture or use as fuel, but if all the trees were cut down, there would be no firewood left, and humans would face the consequences. Therefore, they cut trees gradually and replanted them. This concept of controlling nature was documented in the "Forest Law."

This view of nature was common throughout Europe, not just France. Examining history reveals three major stages. The first is the Hellenistic conception of nature from ancient Greece. The second appears in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, God creates heaven and earth, but within that creation, humans and nature coexist, with humans occupying a higher conceptual position than nature. Then, around the 17th century, the "modern view of nature" emerged, positing that nature could be scientifically understood and controlled. Climate change issues are also understood scientifically, and efforts focus on how to scientifically curb temperature rise. This approach continues to this day.

In contrast, in Japan, nature is a higher concept than humans. The Japanese perspective is rooted in the "eight million gods" – the idea that nature inherently contains numerous deities, and humans are just one form of life. Therefore, the concept of scientifically controlling nature has never taken root.

──Europe operates on the premise that nature can be controlled, establishing rules for its role and enforcing compliance. It's clear that the fundamental difference in perspective explains why Japanese people tend toward passive responses to nature—preparing for hardships, mutual aid, etc.

France has been trying to move away from shareholder supremacy since 2010.

──Looking at corporate activities, French companies began introducing well-being and coaching into management starting around 2000. Why did French companies adopt these practices earlier than Japanese companies?

Nagata: Management styles evolve globally in tandem with the times. Historically, it was patriarchal—the master was caring yet strict, leading with firm direction. This was the same in Japan. By the 1940s, the industrial era arrived, and the boss became a commander. Then, in the 1950s, the shift to the tertiary sector began, white-collar workers emerged, and by the 1970s, bureaucratic styles became prevalent. Offices had clear hierarchies, were compartmentalized, had manualized rules, and managers emerged to oversee them. Leadership emerged in the 80s, and the 90s saw the rise of strategic management and the MBA world. Subsequently, focus shifted to well-being, leading to a collaborative responsibility model where individuals take autonomous responsibility, and leaders become facilitators. However, not all companies adopt this; it's a matter of increasing proportion, so the well-being model is not yet the majority.

During the same period, economic systems were also being reevaluated. France experienced its bubble bursting in the 1930s, 60 years before Japan's. Struggling to recover from this collapse led to Europe's restructuring. Then, in the 1990s, the wave of American-style shareholder primacy arrived, but it didn't fit Europe's socialist economic systems, leading to a reevaluation around 2010.

──Has France already moved away from shareholder primacy?

Nagata: It "didn't fit" because there was never that neoliberal sense of prioritizing the market and leaving things to market forces. It's a socialist-leaning capitalism where both the economy and the market are seen as things controlled by humans—the state, local governments, etc. The belief is that if you let it run free, it will inevitably go wrong. French people especially dislike military-style societies or organizations; they seem to have an aversion to the kind of authoritarian leadership found in sports clubs. It's because the fundamental idea is that "human rights" are important, not just following rank or age.

In Japan, people tend to follow the prevailing atmosphere, but in France, they follow only the law. If something isn't written in the employment contract, they won't do it even if ordered by a superior. There's no micromanagement; they contract as professionals and are entrusted with how to do their jobs.

──Economy, nature, employment—all controlled by law. The early adoption of well-being management seems well-suited to France's socialist-capitalist model, as its effectiveness is scientifically proven ( ) and it prioritizes individual human rights.

Intergenerational collaboration is key to business growth

A school in Paris (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

──In Japan, when existing systems falter, there's a tendency to suddenly place expectations on young people. In France, is there discussion about Generation Z or generational value gaps?

Nagata: Of course, generational value trends and Generation Z are discussed. However, people here generally don't fixate on age, and in family education, parents don't impose their values on their children. In many households, both parents and children are individuals living their own lives; it's an individualistic society where people don't interfere with each other.

──Is this mindset widespread in France, not just among families with higher education levels?

Nagata: Yes. Parents don't care about age and want to do what they like. They also feel it's inevitable that their children pursue values different from their own. However, while they don't interfere, there are also movements to legally promote intergenerational coexistence in the workplace, for example.

──So, various laws are being enacted to bring diverse people together.

Nagata: Companies are also conducting various experiments. For instance, to promote intergenerational diversity (*1), Danone (food) has co-hosted an annual workshop called "Octave" with multiple companies since 2012. Together with big groups like Orange (telecommunications), Société Générale (banking), and L'Oréal (cosmetics), they hold conventions on how to bridge generational gaps. Based on evidence showing companies with intergenerational dialogue generate higher profits, there's a growing stance to incorporate intergenerational collaboration.

※1 = Intergenerational Diversity
Includes those under 30 and over 50, fostering learning and mutual support across generations, building human networks, and transforming organizational culture from vertical to horizontal structures.
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Japan's Traditional Lifestyle Gaining Global Attention

Okinawa's Ogimi Village (Photo: Kimihiko Nagata)

──Regarding sustainability practices, is there anything Japan can learn from France?

Nagata: Japan is a "Ferris wheel society." Generational change happens slowly, turning at a steady pace. It's not a roller coaster. CEOs don't step down at 60, generational shifts are rare, and when they do occur, they're slow. This makes it difficult for diverse values to spread. The core values—good schools, good universities, good careers—remain fundamentally unchanged. Of course, change is happening gradually, but it takes time. Simply adopting France's sustainability approach, which stems from a different cultural background, superficially, is unlikely to take root.

Instead, wouldn't it be better to look toward sustainability rooted in Japan's own history and culture? Kintsugi is famous, but there are still many respected cultural practices originating in Japan that Japanese people may not know about, yet are known to the French, such as the Miyawaki Method of mixed planting (※2) and Forest Therapy (named in 2003 by anthropologist Yoshifumi Miyazaki), which involves hugging trees.

※2＝Miyawaki Method of Mixed Planting
A forest regeneration planting method developed by ecologist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s. By artificially creating competition among multiple plant species, it enables faster growth than usual while maintaining biodiversity.

──What kind of lifestyle originating in Japan do you think the French would want to adopt?

Nagata: In May, I visited Ogimi Village in the Yanbaru region of northern Okinawa, marking the 50th anniversary of its return. It's a longevity village that gained global attention through the 2016 book "Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life." Why are the people here healthy, long-lived, and happy? It's because they live in harmony with the local nature, practicing local production for local consumption, while also being open-minded, laughing often, and staying active. Within their community, they express gratitude to each other with "thank you." This traditional lifestyle, cherishing the local culture passed down from ancestors, is now being reevaluated worldwide.

──Outdoor activities are booming everywhere, and a new nostalgia rooted in each country's history and culture is resonating with Generation Z, right?

Nagata: Exactly. A growing number of people yearn to live in the countryside, drawn by agriculture and the idea of "living within nature." For many Japanese, immersing themselves in a local community feels less forced than being driven toward sustainability. It resonates more easily within Japan too.

In Japan, staying unchanged has often been viewed negatively. But I think we've reached a point where it's time to rediscover what remains unchanged. Japan's traditional lifestyle and culture are attracting global attention. However, the key will be not just conveying this heritage, but systematizing it as something practical and viable for business.