Albane Gaspard is passionate about translating research results into relevant information for environmental actors. She is convinced that sound evidence is key to sound policies, and has been working for the last 10 years between science and action.
She discovered urban agriculture in London in the mid 2000’s. When she came back to France, she contributed to the launch of the International Urban Food Network (IUFN) in 2012 in order to facilitate local authorities’ development of urban food policies. She was Secretary General of IUFN until January 2015, then President until May 2016.
Albane has contributed to several reports related to the sustainability of urban food systems. Among which, she co-authored in 2016 Food, Climate Change, and the City, a Policy Perspectives Paper, as part of the Climate Change Urban Food Initiative together with the United Nations Environment Programme and the Fondation Nicolas Hulot. She also co-authored, in 2015, one of the first analysis of the action of French local authorities in France.
She was part of the small team that organised two major international conferences on urban food in France: Hungry City – Feeding the City of Tomorrow, in 2012 and Land for Food, in 2014.
She is always keen to explore new ways to convey complex ideas in simple ways. She co-authored two short movies, which present a fast-paced, fact-filled look at why there is an urgent need now for action towards more sustainable food systems: Why do we need to change our food system? and How and why should food be considered within the climate policies of cities?
Albane has a degree in Political Sciences from Sciences Po Rennes, and an M.S. in Urbanisation and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.