Did you know…
… that there is an Industrial Ecology Network for Industrial Ecologists from French-speaking countries? It has grown from local and regional groups to wider network of IE practitioners.
Every 2nd year, Industrial Ecology practitioners from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Quebec (Canada) meet to share tools, experiences, knowledge, etc. The latest meeting was held in October 2018 in Troyes in France and was the 4th meeting organised by the network. The University of Troyes has long been active in the field of Industrial Ecology. One of the first IE research conferences in the field was held there in 1999, and there is an MSc program based in Industrial Ecology but is called Strategies and engineering for sustainability.
164 participants came to the meeting in Troyes. The 2-day program was packed with site visits, presentations, roundtables, workshops and socialising. Topics included ‘The keys, levers & tools for starting an industrial ecology’, ‘Mobilising actors for an industrial ecology’, ‘If it doesn’t work!’ With plans for a 5th meeting in 2020 being made, we look forward to follow these developments.
Industrial and Territorial Ecology. The French have a particular take on Industrial Ecology that acknowledges the significance of place for industrial ecologies to develop, i.e. where different actors find it meaningful to interact for the benefit of the industry and the ecology in different regions.
The French governmental agency (ADEME) is the political coordinator of the network since 2016 with the idea that Industrial Ecology supports a transition to a circular economy. This also means that it is an open network that invites anyone interested or involved in industrial ecology-based initiatives, for them to learn and exchange experiences, not just trained Industrial Ecologists. The SYNAPSE network organises the work on the national and operational level in France and even has information in English . The biannual meetings are organised by the French-speaking network for Industrial Ecology
The local IE organizing team at the 4th meeting of the French-speaking community for Industrial and Territorial Ecology. From left: Director Grégory Lannou, Co-ordinator Clémence Rejneri and mission leader Pierre Lemarchand. Photo from the meeting proceedings.
With thanks to Sabrina Dermine-Brullot, Industrial Ecologist, Assistant Professor in University of Technology of Troyes, and head of the master program Strategies and engineering for sustainability.