Agriculture and food officer - Grand Besançon Métropole
She will participate in the site visit of Graines de maraîchers nursery.
Deputy Director for public policy, in charge of food and services to children, Geneva, Switzerland
Ecological transition officer - Grand Besançon Métropole
She worked for 17 years as a facilitator integrating social clauses into public procurement contracts for the Grand Besançon Métropole. Since July 2024, she has been in charge of the ecological transition for the municipality.
Co-founder of the Alliance for Food and Farming Transitions (ALTAA) in France
Now retired, she led and contributed to the development of the Solagro association for 26 years and is co-author of « Afterres2050 » an agricultural and food transition scenario for France.
Associated to the work of the CESE (Economic, Social and Environmental Council) from 2016 to 2021, she co-reported two opinions on the energy transition and the national energy-climate strategy. She supported also the « agriculture and food » work of the citizens’ convention on climate (2019-2021). Patron of the network TEPOs of positive energy territories founded in 2011 within the “Réseau CLER”, she believes in the virtues of sharing knowledge and experiences and in the power of collective proposals to move the lines. She is a member of the board of the association “La Fabrique des Transitions”.
Deputy Mayor in charge of energy transition, buildings and technical resources - City of Besançon
An environmentalist for 25 years, Annaïck Chauvet has served two terms as an elected representative in the town of Besançon. She works in fields such as renewable energies development, energy poverty, sustainable renovation of buildings, optimisation of spaces in municipal buildings. She studied biology and geology and works as a laboratory technician in a secondary school.
Senior Researcher - e-think energy research
Giulia Conforto is a Senior Researcher at e-think energy research, with deep expertise in developing international projects and partnerships for sustainable energy. Her research focuses on financing the decarbonisation of buildings, heating, and cooling, with a growing emphasis on geothermal energy.
She will participate in the testimonial workshop ‘100 % renewable in action: meet the makers’.
Steering Department - Energy Management Division - City of Besançon
He is an energy engineer specialised in the development of renewable energies, especially solar and wood energy. He has worked in energy management and multi-technical coordination for local authorities in France, informing, raising awareness and advising the public on energy saving, managing the Mallette Energie loan scheme, and providing support for the Territoire Zéro Exclusion Energétique energy renovation programme in Besançon.
He will participate in the site visit of the Planoise wood-fired boiler & presentation of Port Douvot wastewater treatment plant.
General Director of Technical Services and Director of the Ecological Transition Department , City of Besançon and Grand Besançon Métropole
He studied Sciences Po Strasbourg the INET (Institut National des Etudes Territoriales). He was director of Territorial Development for the Nièvre county and, since April 2023, he is Deputy Director General of Technical Services and Director of the Ecological Transition Department at the City of Besançon and Grand Besançon Métropole.
He will participate in the site visit of Place de la Révolution and Brossolette school.
Head of the Professional Transition Department (sustainable buildings) - Bruxelles Environnement
After graduating in architecture in 2000 and then in carpentry, he first worked in an architecture studio specialising in eco-construction and sustainable renovation. Convinced of the need to instill sustainable development on a wider scale and to change the building habits of the professional sector, he joined Bruxelles Environnement in 2007. The Professional Transition Department organises consultation with professionals, training courses and seminars, and offers technical and financial support.
Engineer - Besançon Education Authority
He is an engineer who has been working for the Besançon education authority since 2016, where he is responsible for the technical and architectural programming of government projects for universities in the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region. He is the driving force behind a circular economy experiment on a major renovation site in the centre of Besançon.
He will participate in the site visit of N Building at the old Arsenal site and pilot re-use project of the Hôp Hôp Hôp association.
Director - Energy Fruit Farm
Biography: Having worked as a farmer for 10 years and a craftsman for 14, he has also worked as a coordinator in various social and solidarity economy and rural development organisations.
Holder of a Master’s degree in ‘Social Economy Management’, since 2017 he has been leading the Fruitière à Energies project, as part of a small team of employees and volunteers committed to the energy transition.’
He will participate in the site visit of the Planoise wood-fired boiler & presentation of Port Douvot wastewater treatment plant.
Sociologist, co-director of Missions Publiques, member of the scientific committee of France Villes et Territoires Durables, administrator of the Institut de la Concertation et de la Participation Citoyenne
Judith Ferrando Y Puig works for Missions Publiques, supporting public and private decision-makers in the design and implementation of initiatives to involve citizens and stakeholders in the making of collective choices, in particular to accelerate a fair ecological transition (citizens’ assemblies and conventions on the climate and the environment, territorial foresight initiatives; multi-stakeholder assemblies).
Project Manager - Town Planning Department, City of Besançon
He began his career in the mass production industry, working on methods between design and production.
There, he realised that the real eco-designers are the production engineers, for whom scrap is a waste.
After attending the sustainable development conference in 2003, he branched out into the regional professions, which were more in line with his personal commitments.
After specialising in environmental issues, particularly in polluted soils, he discovered the role of town planner within the local authority, working on projects to convert urban wasteland. In particular, he steered the transformation of one of Besançon’s most emblematic sites: the Rhodiacéta park.
Convinced that good projects can only be achieved through the joint commitment of elected representatives, technicians and project managers, he is now sharing his experience within the technical departments by leading a public spaces unit that is concerned with the quality of developments for as many people as possible.
Director of Finance - City of Besançon and Grand Besançon Métropole
Anne-Laure Fournier is originally from Burgundy, and studied in Grenoble and Scotland. She has been Director of Finance for the City of Besançon and Grand Besançon Métropole since 2016.
Project manager, coordination of the Shifting Economy Strategy - Brussels Environment
Pietro has been working as a project manager at Brussels Environment since 2018, first as an economist in the Water Department, where he was responsible for monitoring the investments made by the Brussels water operators and assessing their impact on water prices.
Then, he managed a project to develop a social support mechanism for households experiencing difficulties in paying their water bills.
Since 2021, he has been responsible for coordinating the Brussels-Capital Region’s economic transition strategy: ‘Shifting Economy’, which aims to encourage Brussels SMEs to adopt new business models and circular practices.
As part of the Shifting Economy action plan, he also supervised a study on the Commons in the Brussels-Capital Region and the implementation of its action plan.
Vice President - Environment, energy and sustainable development - Grand Besançon Métropole
Lorine Gagliolo is an elected representatiove in Grand Besançon Métropole in charge of environment, energy and sustainable development. She works in fields such as food, renewable energy, thermal insulation of buildings or biodiversity.
Director of energy transition - Resourcefully
Avi has been involved in cutting edge smart energy projects in Australia and The Netherlands for the past 15 years, tackling issues such as grid congestion, energy poverty, energy efficiency and distributed energy storage. He now helps Dutch municipalities manage energy innovation projects with his team in Amsterdam.
He will participate in the testimonial workshop ‘100 % renewable in action: meet the makers’.
Hôp Hôp Hôp coordinator
Alice joined the Hôp Hop Hop association in 2024. A jack-of-all-trades, she returned to her hometown of Besançon after working in the performing arts and in building renovation and refurbishment. She is now in charge of the association’s transitional urban planning projects, which aim to make the city a place where people can live together and enjoy each other’s company.
She will participate in the site visit of N Building at the old Arsenal site and pilot re-use project of the Hôp Hôp Hôp association.
Coordinator of the Energy Area, Valencia Clima y Energia
He works as coordinator of the Energy Area of the Valencia Climate and Foundation developing projects and activities to ensure a fair and sustainable energy transition for all in Valencia city since 2016.
Training: Environmental Engineer, MSc Cranfield University, PhD of Technical University of Valencia, Spain and Supagro, Montpellier, France.
Founder - Groupe Coopilote
As founder of the Coopilote Group, he continues to be passionate about this adventure: changing the economy and doing business differently. For 30 years, he has flourished in this sector, developing social enterprises in line with his values.
He will participate in the site visit of Graines de maraîchers nursery.
Research Officer - Renewable energy & heat recovery - Agence Economique Régionale (AER)
She is an energy engineer and began her career in the industry, working for manufacturers of heating systems for 5 years. After she worked as an energy renovation advisor for private individuals at the the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. She joined Agence Économique Régionale de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in 2024 and she works with companies in the region to improve the energy performance of their facilities, in particular through the recovery of waste heat and the integration of renewable energies. These are key actions to strengthen the energy transition for companies in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
She will participate in the site visit of the Planoise wood-fired boiler & presentation of Port Douvot wastewater treatment plant.
Director of the Spatial Transitions, Urban Planning and Project Development skills centre - AUDAB - Agence d’urbanisme de Besançon Centre Franche-Comté
With his background as a landscape engineer and town planner, he worked in a number of design offices before joining AUDAB, the Besançon Centre Franche-Comté town planning agency. He has assisted local authorities and public bodies in defining their projects and policies in areas as varied as landscape design, urban development and energy and ecological transition. More specifically, he has worked on the issue of adapting territories to climate change and on promoting health-friendly urban planning. Since January 2025, he has been head of the Spatial Transitions, Planning and Urban Design Centre of Excellence.
He will participate in the site visit of Place de la Révolution and Brossolette school.
Head of Environmental Protection Agency Department - City of Freiburg
Deputy Director - Water and Sanitation department Grand Besançon Métropole
A graduate in urban engineering from the Ecole des Ingénieurs de la Ville de Paris in 1987, he started his career specialising in wastewater treatment in 1999 with the Syndicat which treats the wastewater of Paris and its inner suburbs. He has been working for Grand Besançon Métropole on water and wastewater since 2011.
Founder - Alternatinnov
He is a thermal engineer. He inaugurated one of the first material libraries in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, with the aim of changing practices in the sector which generates the largest amount of waste. Alternatinov is a company based in the Doubs region specialising in the recovery of construction materials and equipment.
He will participate in the site visit of N Building at the old Arsenal site and pilot re-use project of the Hôp Hôp Hôp association.
Head of the Participatory Democracy Department - City of Besançon
Gilles Labrousse has been Head of the participatory democracy Department at the City of Besançon since 2016. He holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Councillor responsible for energy management and the school's management plan
Jean-Emmanuel Lafarge, with a background in engineering, is a lecturer in mathematics and electrical engineering at the IUT in Besançon. He also manages the university Bachelor of Technology program in mechanical and production engineering. His prior experience includes heading the apprentice training center at the University of Franche-Comté before its integration into the university. Politically active for over a decade, Jean-Emmanuel is a member of the Green Party and is currently serving his first term as a Besançon municipal councillor, after representing a village in the surrounding area for two terms.
President of the City Assembly of Zagreb and member of the European Committee of the Regions
Joško Klisović is the President of the City Assembly of Zagreb and member of the European Committee of the Regions for which he is currently rapporteur of the opinion “State of the energy union: getting prepared for a smooth implementation of energy transition in line with Fit for 55 targets”.
He is a former diplomat involved in the accession process of Croatia to the EU, he served as chief of staff of the President of the Republic of Croatia, as political councillor at the Croatian Mission to UN in New York, and as deputy head of Croatian Mission to NATO in Brussels. He also served as member of the Croatian Parliament and of the European Parliament.
CEO - Parentium d.o.o
Graduated in the department of energy, power and environmental engineering. Since 2013 she has been the CEO of the City of Poreč-Parenzo Municipal company for the construction of the city and the activities of energy efficiency and environmental protection. As a creator and implementer of energy and climate sustainable development policies at the local level, she has coordinated the implementation of over 40 projects in the field of EE, RES, e-mobility, environmental protection, sustainable development, and climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. In 2021, she was appointed the European Climate Pact Ambassador.
She will participate in the testimonial workshop ‘100 % renewable in action: meet the makers’.
Director, Biodiversity and Green Spaces - City of Besançon
Samuel Lelievre studied environmental engineering and has been Director of Biodiversity and Green Spaces at the City of Besançon since 2017. He began his career at the ONF before working in an ecological restoration consultancy in Lille. He later joined the local civil service, working for the Nord department’s environment department in the Espaces Naturels Sensibles department, where he was responsible for managing a number of brownfield sites in the Nord Pas de Calais coalfield (slag heaps, quarries, railway wasteland).
During this period, he continued to work to bring brownfield sites back to life after exploitation/demolition and to bring biodiversity back to the heart of the city, taking the issue of soils and their functionality as key, as well as the preservation of pollinating insects.
He will participate in the site visit of Place de la Révolution and Brossolette school.
Project Manager - ACR+
She leads the thematic are of Built Environment overseeing all the activities of the association related to sustainable resource management in the construction sector and applied on urban planning strategies at local and regional level. With a background on landscape architecture and adaptation of cities to climate change, she also gathered experience on education and citizens engagement, which support her daily work with cities and regions to push for a circular transition.
Project manager of ‘Espaces Naturels, Trame verte et Bleue, agriculture urbaine’Direction Biodiversité et Espaces Verts - City of Besançon
With a background in agriculture, he specialises in dealing with issues relating to the human/nature relationship. He began his career as an environmental education professional, working to enhance Besançon’s natural areas by developing initiatives that encourage local people to get involved. His recent work has led him to develop new forms of school playgrounds, designed as living gardens.
It is involved in the creation of green, social and landscaped urban continuities to make cities more resilient, and participates in the renaturation of land on urban sites undergoing change, based in particular on the use of recycled materials.
Coordinator - Alliance for Food and Farming Transitions (ALTAA) in France
Co-founder and coordinator of the ALTAA alliance with Solagro and UNESCO Chair for World Food Systems. The alliance aims to practically support local food projects by sharing learning, good practice, resources through a common framework for action to change food environments. The alliance brings together and facilitates cooperation and action between CSO, local authorities, researchers, businesses and is in support of national advocacy efforts. It tackles key innovative issues such as supporting local change in the offer and practices of retailers or the out-of-home food sector to ensure healthier, sustainable, and accessible food environments. Alizée builds on 6 years of experience with the Sustainable Food Places network in the UK.
Deputy Mayor for the energy transition - Annecy
He is is deputy mayor of Annecy (France) responsible for the energy transition. Since 2020, he uses his political knowledge and agency to engage his city towards a more sustainable and resilient future. Benjamin is also an outdoor aficionado, spending a lot of time in the mountains.
He will participate in the testimonial workshop ‘100 % renewable in action: meet the makers’.
Circular economy strategy and action plan project manager, Région Bourgogne Franche-Comté
Dominique Marie is head of the circular economy strategy and action plan for Région Bourgogne Franche-Comté.
He is responsible for the raw and secondary materials aspects of the construction and public works sectors: eco-design, prevention, reuse and recycling.
Deputy Mayor of Guimaraes, European Green Capital 2026
Manager - Jardins de Cocagne and director - Julienne Javel association
She will participate in the site visit of Graines de maraîchers nursery.
Deputy Mayor - Marseille
Born in Marseille, Fabien Perez was sworn in at the Marseille Bar on January 3, 2001, after studying law and having acquired “Judicial Career” master’s degree at the University of Aix – Marseille. Focusing on criminal defense since the start of his career, he obtained in 2009, the certificate of specialization in criminal Law. Maître Fabien PEREZ is today a founding partner of Cabinet PHILAE, one of the main law firms in the South region. Elected councilor of Marseille in 2020, he is in charge of European funding in the new municipal majority. He coordinates Marseille’s participation in the “100 Climate Neutral Cities” mission, as part of which Marseille was awarded the EU Mission Label. He is an architect of the ecological transition in the region.
Funder of OpenCouncil
Christos Porios is the founder of OpenCouncil, bringing AI-powered civic participation to Greek municipalities.
His background bridges technology and public policy, with experience at Google and Palantir, and education from Imperial College London (Computing, 2017) and Harvard Kennedy School (MPP, 2024).
Official in charge of agriculture and food - Grand Besançon Métropole
She will participate in the site visit of Graines de maraîchers nursery.
Vice-Chairman of Nantes Métropole, responsible for agriculture, climate, economic changes, resilience, the food transition and energy transitions
Deputy Mayor of Namur in charge of Town Planning and Ecological Transition
City of Utrecht
Mirjam Scholtens is a junior European funding and collaborations advisor at the Municipality of Utrecht, working on European projects in circular economy, climate adaptation, and urban green. She has a background in environmental sciences and focuses on developing and supporting projects that drive sustainable urban transitions.
Currently, Mirjam is involved in PREUSE, an Interreg North-West Europe project dedicated to the reuse of municipal public space materials, fostering circular practices in urban infrastructure.
Engineer - Viladecans Municipality
Gala Sfriso is an agricultural engineer specialized in landscape and environmental design. With experience spanning public and private projects, she blends engineering, ecology, and aesthetics to create resilient, low-maintenance green spaces. Her work focuses on species adaptation in response to climate challenges, soil and environment comprehension. From Mediterranean cities to desert developments, she advocates for nature-based solutions rooted in place and purpose. Currently, she leads municipal scale renaturalization efforts in Viladecans and contributes to projects that integrate long-term maintenance into the design process.
Deputy Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand, in charge of the "City in Transition” initiative since 2020
From the beginning of her term, she has participated in work on the ecological and social criteria for investments and the implementation of a carbon budget at the city level. Involved in the follow-up to the Citizen Convention for Clermont, she initiated the Citizen Observatory for Transitions, which aims to evaluate the municipal government’s public policies. In February 2024, the City and the Metropolis launched, under her initiative, the Alliance for Ecological and Solidarity Transition, bringing together 40 public and private structures in a community of purpose embracing Kate Raworth’s doughnut theory: how to make this territory a safe and just space for humanity while respecting the social floor and guaranteeing democratic functioning? The work of the Alliance covers issues such as adaptation to climate change, in a city preparing to live under a 40° temperature.
Head of the Lviv City Institute
Maksym Terletsky is geographer and an acting director of City Institute with 8 years of work experience in strategic planning and management, policy development, managing international projects and building partnerships locally and internationally. He built a wide network among EU innovation centers and R&D institutions, UN organizations and other international development organizations to support sustainable transition of Lviv and other Ukrainian cities.
Head of the Energy Supply Department - Energy Management Division - Grand Besançon Métropole
He is a thermal engineer and very early on specialised in the overall management of large buildings (facility management), such as the European Parliament Buildings (EPB) in Strasbourg (320,000 m2). While working in the private sector, he was responsible for delegating the main heating networks in Strasbourg on behalf of the Euro Métropole de Strasbourg (EMS). He is currently head of the energy supply department for the Greater Besançon Urban Community and manages the Besançon Planoise district heating plant.
He will participate in the site visit of the Planoise wood-fired boiler & presentation of Port Douvot wastewater treatment plant.
Engineer for waste and circular economy - ADEME Bourgogne Franche-Comté
She has been working for the regional directorate of ADEME Bourgogne-Franche-Comté for 7 years as a circular economy referent. She works with local authorities and SMEs on the challenges of ecological transition.
She works specifically on the topic of sustainable food, food waste and the organic recovery of bio-waste at regional level, and she has just started a new mission to support SMEs.
Geographer, professor at the Ecole d'urbanisme de Paris and consultant at the cooperative consultancy Acadie
His work focuses on territories, their transformations, their future, their development and the public policies dedicated to them. His latest publication is: « Le temps des liens, essai sur l’anti-fracture », éditions de L’aube, 2024.
Senior Project manager & Strategic engagement advisor - Municipality of Utrecht
Anne-Marie works at the Energy Transition Department of the municipality of Utrecht as a strategic advisor on collaboration with the networks, organizations, and residents of the city and the development of energy communities. She is interested in understanding what is required to strengthen these partnerships, and how to deal with the dilemmas that arise.