Exchanging and sharing around the theme of climate change and biodiversity, Annecy, July 9th and 10th 2019

Scientists and philanthropists confronted their points of view, initiatives and ideas to drive forward solutions to the climate emergency. 

Several sessions punctuated the debates:  

  • A round-table discussion moderated by Frédéric Menard, director of the IRD’s (Research Institute for Development) Oceans department, on the implications of financing research on oceans. The participants were Thomas de Williencourt, director of Pure Ocean, Philippe Cury, oceanographer from the IRD, Alexia Tye from the Albert 1st of Monaco Foundation and Stéphanie Bouziges-Eschmann from the FFEM (French Facility for Global Environment)
  • A collective exposition of the One planet fellowship program, animated by Jean-Jacques Goron, chief executive of the BNP Paribas Foundation, with Emilie Chen, Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg from African Women in Agricultural Research and Development and Olivier Oliveros from the Agropolis Foundation.
  • Testimonies from Elisabeth Barbier, delegate chief executive of the IRD, Benoît Méribel from the CFF (French Foundations Center), and an admirable conclusion by Patricia Ricard, from the Paul Ricard Oceanic Institute, on philanthropic and scientific involvement for common good; a message of hope and a powerful call for action! 

Today, only 7% of philanthropic funds are dedicated to the environment. This is not enough faced with the utter emergency of climate change and biodiversity preservation. 

Now is time for a general mobilization – we have to support research. 

Innovation is key in protecting the living. 

This 3rd Meeting around science, development and philanthropy was organized by the IRD and the CFF, with support of the BNP Paribas Foundation and the Agropolis Foundation.