The midterm conference of IB-Green "Fit for future - companies putting adaptation into practice" was hosted by Lille European Metropolis (MEL) on 13 November 2024. High time to get to know more about our French IB-Green partner, and the three persons from MEL working on IB-Green: Marine Laborde, Sandrine Musa and Roxane Billion-Prunier. (The interview questions were answered by Marine Laborde.)
(c) Photos: Infrastruktur & Umwelt, l.t.r.: Roxanne Billion-Prunier, Sandrine Musa
Why do you think IB-Green is an important project, especially from the perspective of your organisation?
The industrial and business parks constitute a very important part of the Metropolis of Lille in terms of land use, making up approximately 10% of the territory. It is also highly vulnerable with flooding and extreme temperatures, with a great number of people exposed as 30% of the private sector employees works in a business park (approximately 100.000 people). The focus of IB-GREEN project on reducing those risks and raise awareness among the companies and SME is thus crucial for our public policies on the economic sector.
Which of your own project activities are you most looking forward to, and why?
Lille Metropolis will really start working with companies in 2025, to raise awareness and work on their adaptation measures in the business parks. We are looking forward to really diving into – and working with - the reality of risks and solutions that can be implemented to increase resilience and quality of the workplace for enterprises and their employees.
What do you think is the best part about working with project partners from North-West-Europe? What is maybe sometimes frustrating about it?
The North-West Europe partners are usually really pioneers and advanced on environmental themes compared to our French context, which is exciting because the partner meetings are always really inspiring and we bring back a lot of thoughts and ideas back home. However, it can sometimes be frustrating because it reminds us of our own difficulties and inertia on making our public policies drastically change.
Do you know examples in IBPs where adaptation measures and renewable energy are combined/integrated?
The best example that comes to my mind is from one of the speaker at the midterm conference in Lille (Louis-Philippe Blervacque, president of the company Auddice) who showed solar panels that were implemented right along the façade of their company building, helping to protect it against the sunshine during summer heat waves, while producing electricity. It can also be useful to protect vegetation from burning or drying.
Imagine you are a business owner: What arguments speak against green and blue infrastructure? (And what are solutions/strategies to counter them?)
The main argument is the long return on investment if the GBI are considered only from a cost-perspective. One strategy to counter this argument is to stress the co-benefits that comes along with GBI such as the well-being in the workplace, attractiveness of the company, and even short-term response to risks, that could occur anytime (such as flooding, extreme drought or heat waves).
What examples do you have where you were able to make your home/neighborhood more climate-resilient?
I try to plant only local, adapted and non-invasive species in my garden, diversify as much as possible the species, and to implement small habitats and food for the local birds and little mammals that can visit sometimes. I also mow only a very small part of the garden letting the grass develop. This way, my garden and biodiversity are more resilient to drought and heat waves and they can thrive in a welcoming environment.
(c) Photos: Climate Alliance; Marine Laborde