International Women’s Day: Meet the EcoActors making a difference 

This International Women’s Day, we spoke to some of our EcoActors who are driving sustainability, tackling climate risk and developing nature-based solutions at EcoAct. Anouk Faure, Véronique Mariotti, Gecica Yogo and Belén del Prado tell us why they chose climate science, what inspires them at work, and what they are most proud of. 

Anouk Faure –  Research Manager, EcoAct Research and Innovation Team 

1. Tell us about yourself and the work you do at EcoAct 

I studied Climate Economics and have a PhD on the functioning and design of compliance carbon markets. Before joining EcoAct, I worked as an analyst at the French Ministry of Industry, working on industrial competitiveness issues in the context of the low-carbon transition. At EcoAct, my role in the Research and Innovation Team is to develop commercial services that enable organisations to transition toward net-zero.  Climate change is transforming the economic and regulatory playing field, and organisations need clear guidance to make the best choices.

2. Why did you choose to work in climate science?

I have always been conscious about minimising the impact on nature, both globally and in my personal life. I chose economics because it is the common language of our society. Economics and more generally the scientific approach has taught me that there is no simple or easy solution to climate change. Although it can be daunting, I find it fascinating to try to navigate all its complexities.

3. What is the most inspiring part of your role at EcoAct?

We work in a fast-changing environment, which requires constant adaptation, learning and innovation. Right now, we can really feel momentum on climate action from public and private actors, which is very motivating. Climate change is no longer perceived as a future eventuality but as a reality for which we must prepare. Organisations are starting to take action, especially around transition risks, which is a topic I have been working on.

4. What is your proudest achievement since working at EcoAct?

I’ve had the opportunity to develop a Carbon Pricing Tool with the risk team that allows organisations to quantify their exposure to regulatory carbon pricing mechanisms worldwide. Carbon pricing can be a significant financial risk for companies, and we developed this to help them navigate the complex landscape of carbon pricing policies. Most interestingly, the tool allows organisations to quantify the cost of climate inaction, linked to the future increase in the cost of carbon. It shows that even in a business-as-usual scenario, savings can be made by reducing emissions. To have accompanied the development of this offer, from R&D to the delivery of the first project, is very satisfying!

 

Véronique Mariotti – Head of Climate Risk at EcoAct

1. Tell us about yourself and the work you do at EcoAct  

I have an engineering background, with a PhD in Climate Sciences. I joined EcoAct seven years ago after working for the City of Montreal on their adaptation plan. At EcoAct, as Global Head of Climate Risk Services I am in charge of developing and deploying our services around transitional and physical climate risks. More concretely, I work with my team to assess how regulations, market trends and climate hazards might evolve in the future and how that would impact human activities.

 2. Why did you choose to work in climate science?  

After engineering school, I wanted to better understand the climate system and the mechanisms driving climate change. I had the chance to do my PhD on paleoclimates, which provided me a sense of where we come from, and how different our planet is compared to the past. This is how I learned that there were once penguins in Marseille, France and that at that time we were able to travel by foot between France and the UK. This demonstrates what could happen in the future, and how dramatic the changes could be in our immediate environment.

3. What is the most inspiring part of your role at EcoAct?

Difficult question! I can count at least three sources of professional fulfillment. Firstly, teamwork with other EcoActors. We have a team with very different profiles: engineers, economists, climate scientists, experts from different industries and sectors. The complementarity of expertise is key to solving our clients’ complex problems. Secondly, client feedback. We have the chance to interview different professionals around the world and ask them about the impacts of climate change or transitional regulation on their activities. This provides an interesting human testimony to complement the trends that can be found in reports provided by the IPCC or IEA on the same topics. At the same time, we can raise awareness on these complex topics for a larger audience, which amplifies our impact. Thirdly, I’m very proud of developing EcoAct’s Climate Risk Platform tool, and am inspired by the impact it will have on the climate and for our clients.

 4. What is your proudest achievement since working at EcoAct?  

Working with EcoAct’s global team, I designed and developed our EcoAct Climate Risk Platform. The development and commercialisation of this product were the result of combining my past academic background with client feedback I had gathered through my years of consultancy experience. Our platform helps users understand how their sites located anywhere in the world could be exposed to 40 different climate indicators (related to temperature, water, wind and soil) in the future, according to different scenarios. The different visualisation modes allow us to identify adaptation actions and ease climate reporting. We launched this tool in November 2022 and I’m very proud of the outcome, as we can now help accelerate the transition of our world toward a more resilient one.

 

Gecica Yogo – Project Development Consultant, Nature- and Technology-Based Solutions

1. Tell us about yourself and the work you do at EcoAct  

I have a background in Environmental Sciences with a focus on soil science and climate change. I graduated from AgroParisTech – Université Paris Saclay and have an MSc in Climate Land Use and Ecosystem Services as well as from the Climate-KIC Master label programme. I have a strong interest in nature-based solutions and have been working on soil carbon sequestration, carbon-storing practices and carbon accounting for the past three years. My goal was to ultimately contribute to the development of agro-environmental projects for better resource/land management and climate change adaptation and mitigation. This is exactly what I now do as a consultant for the project development team at EcoAct, in particular for biochar and forestry projects. I am directly involved in project design, carbon assessment and other steps in the MRV (Monitoring Reporting Verification) process based on the needs of our partners.

2. Why did you choose to work in climate science?  

Growing up I was always interested in plants and animals and so I naturally chose biology as a Major for my Bachelor. After a few internships at INRAE and a personal interest in agroecology, I understood the urgency to take action to mitigate climate change. In fact, many farmers in Burkina Faso, where I was born, face severe drought and other climate-related challenges that affect crop production. I decided to pursue a Masters degree looking at the close relationship between agroecology, soil and climate science in order to help me further progress in my career.

3. What is the most inspiring part of your role at EcoAct?  

The opportunity to make things happen, and doing so with a great team of EcoActors, all sharing the same objectives. I have a sense of being part of the solution when I’m working on impactful projects.

 4. What is your proudest achievement since working at EcoAct?  

I’ve only been with the team for one year but I can already say that I am proud to be working on the innovative approaches that enable nature-based projects to come to life.

 

Belén del Prado – Head of Advisory, EcoAct Ibérica

1. Tell us about yourself and the work you do at EcoAct  

I’m currently leading the Advisory team at EcoAct Ibérica. I studied Industrial Chemical Engineering in my birthplace, Asturias, Spain and continued my academic journey in Environmental Management and Engineering and Project Management at the EOI (Escuela de Organización Industrial) in Madrid. I then joined the professional world in the field of renewables. In 2018, I joined EcoAct at the early stage of its growth in Spain, where I managed the resources and activities of the technical pillar of the company.

 2. Why did you choose to work in climate science?  

I have always been a very curious person with a wide range of interests. However, during my university studies, I started to focus my professional career on the environmental sector. Upon graduation, it was clear to me that I wanted to continue my training in a more sector-specific way, and I opted for a very practical Master’s degree, which only helped to confirm that this was the right path for me. I have no doubt that I have chosen a very interesting professional field in which it is difficult to fall into monotony, as it is essential to stay up-to-date with the latest practices and scientific recommendations. I feel very grateful for this.

 3. What is the most inspiring part of your role at EcoAct?

I think it is contributing, even if it’s just in a small way, to making our world a better place while working together in a truly participative and dynamic environment. The spirit of EcoAct is founded on collaboration between people and geographies, we all row in the same direction and work towards a common goal.

 4. What is your proudest achievement since working at EcoAct?

I would say that participating in EcoAct’s expansion in Spain is an achievement I am proud of. From a small team of four to a growing team of 20+, I am very happy to see that we can no longer fit all of us on the same screen in the team meetings! In this time I have also seen many clients grow and adapt from a climate point of view.