Shifting to sustainable agriculture is a crucial part of climate adaptation, and women are part of the solution.
Overview
Transforming food systems was a major focus of the last global climate negotiations at COP 28. Climate change affects agriculture around the world, but women in the field have less agency to meet these challenges due to discrimination and unequal access to resources. Yet, they represent 43% of the agricultural labor force.
Join a group of farmers and climate specialists for a conversation on the role of women in agriculture and climate action. These specialists will detail issues specific to their regions, including some examples specific to Europe, and will make links between rural and urban contexts.
Speakers
Sofia de Meyer is an impact entrepreneur, founder and leader in the field of regenerative economy and systems transformation. She has committed herself to social entrepreneurship since 2004, after working for a London-based international law firm for seven years. Her first company, eco-tourism camp Whitepod, received the Times EcoTourism Award as a recognition for its positive impact on the environment and local communities. Sofia de Meyer is also the co-founder of Opaline SA, a Swiss beverage company focused on circular and regenerative economy which she has led for over 10 years. She has been invited to present and share her experience at leading economic forums, including the World Economic Forum in Davos. Today, Sofia is a board member of institutions in the field of agriculture, health and culture. She is the European lead for Daughters for Earth to help raise awareness on, and support, the pivotal role of women in addressing the climate crisis.
Passionate about forging collaborations for sustainability and diversity, Alice Durand-Réville currently serves as a Senior Advisor, leveraging her expertise in global and European food systems, agriculture policies, biodiversity, and regenerative agriculture. She played a key role in establishing OP2B (One Planet Business for Biodiversity), the first transformative business coalition committed to scaling up regenerative agriculture practices worldwide. Highlighting her ongoing commitment to gender equality, Alice advocated for equal opportunities and built impactful partnerships to support women’s entrepreneurship throughout her career. She now serves as the SHE Changes Climate Ambassador for France.
Esther Mottier is a farmer and the founder of Votre Cercle de Vie. From a young age, driven by a thirst for knowledge about living things, especially medicinal plants, Esther decided to become a mountain farmer and naturopath. With her husband Nicolas, they chose to develop this pioneering project on their biodynamic family farm upon the birth of their first child. She then took the lead on the project, the architectural office, and two organic stores, while her husband managed the farm. Thus, she became a social entrepreneur, working with her family and their three children to contribute to the necessary systemic change to address environmental challenges through regenerative agriculture.
Series
Women in Climate Adaptation is a series of events aiming to raise awareness of the underestimated and underfinanced role of women, and their communities, in climate action. These events will gather project leaders, experts in the fields of climate action, and donors for an interactive dialogue sharing concerns and solutions for immediate action. This series is organized by Daughters for Earth and Columbia Global Centers | Paris.
The next event in this series will be held on November 6, 2024.