Geneviève Aubry, Executive Director of Collectif Territoire, and France Lemire, Director of the Pôle d’innovation régénérative. PHOTO: Radio-Canada / Vanessa Limage
Interviewed by Radio-Canada, Geneviève Aubry (Collectif Territoire) and France Lemire (Pôle d’innovation régénérative) reflected on their notable appearance at COP17—an international platform where the expertise of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and publications by the World Center of Excellence for Destinations (CED) highlighted the transformative power of grassroots initiatives.
For Geneviève Aubry, her organization’s participation was vital, showing at its own level how a local initiative can serve as a benchmark and drive meaningful change.
“What is truly compelling is that in these discussions—which are often high-level and focused on nations and states—you end up wondering, what are we doing here with our small initiative on a local scale? What struck me most was how frequently the talks emphasize redefining our relationship with the land, shifting core values, and transforming things locally. Yet the discussions stop right there; they leave out the ‘how.’ That is where I feel we step in with a valuable contribution: by experimenting on the ground with how to actually make that happen locally,” she said.
For her part, France Lemire explained that the Pôle d’innovation régénérative had previously taken part in COP16 in Colombia, and that a larger delegation joined this year’s summit. “We were officially included in the event program. We served as panelists at two scientific forums and delivered three presentations in the Action Zone, including one spotlighting the Collectif Territoire project,” she noted.
She added that the World Center of Excellence for Destinations (CED) released a publication featuring the Enfant lumière statue on its front cover, alongside a dedicated case study on Collectif Territoire and its Lake Osisko project.
“We had a voice—the voice of Abitibi-Témiscamingue—and our perspective resonated internationally, which is truly remarkable. We want to maintain this momentum,” said France Lemire, emphasizing her commitment to seeing Abitibi-Témiscamingue sustain its engagement within this global forum.
© CED, november 2026
