For its 30th anniversary, Ademe is launching the 1st edition of the "Grand Ecological Challenge"

ADEME: thirty years of action and research

In 1990, the State decided to create the environment and energy management agency (ADEME). The agency was created in 1992 by bringing together several public agencies: the National Agency for the Recovery and Elimination of Waste (ANRED) already based in Angers, the French Agency for Energy Management (AFME) and the Air Quality Agency (AQA). It was decided by Edith Cresson's government that its headquarters would be in Angers.

The role and place of ADEME in public action have evolved since its creation and the Agency is today essential in the ecological transition, the main challenge of our time. Energy savings and alternative energies, waste, air and environmental quality are the founding themes of the Agency and remain at the heart of its mission. With the general awareness of the environmental dangers that threaten us – ADEME is at the age of the Rio summit – these subjects have also won the heart of public debate.

From now on, the influence of ADEME far exceeds its means alone. Hundreds of employees and doctoral students have spread its knowledge and methods to as many public bodies, communities, companies and associations. It provides reliable information to researchers, influencers and public decision-makers. There is not a single major piece of legislation affecting the environment that does not pass without his contribution. The leverage is immense.

Thus, the State entrusts ADEME with an increasingly substantial amount of aid to distribute. This recent mission as operator of public aid for investment demonstrates the transition to a new "time" in the ecological fight: the large-scale deployment of proven technologies, which makes it possible to consolidate action to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, which does not prevent us from supporting breakthrough innovation via numerous calls for expressions of interest.

Moreover, to succeed in the large-scale societal transformations necessary to face climate challenges, ADEME needs support. This does not preclude holding a language of truth about the effort to be produced. ADEME thus acts as a "coach" which encourages,
encourages and supports.

The thirty years of ADEME this year are a good opportunity to restate these truths by organizing events in the region and in Angers for communities, businesses, teachers, young people and families around a red thread, "The Great Ecological Challenge". .

The thirty years of ADEME this year are a good opportunity to restate these truths by organizing events in the region and in Angers for communities, businesses, teachers, young people and families around a red thread, "The Great Ecological Challenge". .

The Great Ecological Challenge: a week to bring people together

ADEME is launching the very first edition of the Grand Ecological Challenge. Aimed at a wide audience, the Grand Ecological Challenge is based on three axes:

The Great Citizen Ecological Challenge

Citizens are invited to join this celebration around several free events open to all (young people, adults and families), designed and hosted in partnership with ChangeNOW. Throughout the week, activities, entertainment and conferences for the general public take place continuously in different places in Angers. Some are free to access and others require registration. This event aims to raise awareness of the environmental and social challenges of our century, to discover solutions for committing to the climate and biodiversity and to engage a large public in the transition to action.

The Great Professional Ecological Challenge

This event aimed at professionals and the media offers economic players, public and private organizations the opportunity to decipher ADEME's prospective scenarios, to discuss them and to project themselves concretely into them to help build the path towards carbon neutrality in France. 'by 2050.

The Great Student Ecological Challenge

The Grand Défi Étudiants launched in October 2021 offers the possibility for a student or a group of students in higher education, over the age of 16 and from the Angevin conurbation to have their ecological transition project financed.