Chloé Mikolajczak; Making Sustainability the Norm
Chloé Mikolajczak
An activist consultant aiming to make sustainability the norm. From EU policy files to classrooms in Brussels, she organises and builds movements around the belief that individual effort matters, but only system change will get us there.
Who is Chloé Mikolajczak?
Chloé Mikolajczak is an activist consultant aiming to make sustainability the norm. She is the founder of environmental education NGO The Green Seeds Project and the coordinator of Fashion Revolution Belgium, the Belgian branch of the international movement aiming for a more ethically and environmentally sustainable fashion industry.
Her experience following European policy files, and mainstreaming them through her podcast and social media, has allowed her to organise and build movements around EU environmental activism. She has been involved on the CAP, the taxonomy, the due diligence directive and the Energy Charter Treaty, notably. She holds a Masters of Environmental Science and Management.
- Common Agricultural Policy CAP
- EU Taxonomy sustainable finance
- Due Diligence Directive corporate accountability
- Energy Charter Treaty fossil fuel protection
Your greatest inspirations or influences?
"I am in awe of the work done on the ground by environmental defenders. Indigenous leaders, activists, people who regularly put their life on the line to protect their land and their environment. I'm so glad to see that the media is finally taking an interest in these incredible eco warriors. I also really like the work of the Canadian writer Naomi Klein and intellectual Noam Chomsky, who provides incredibly interesting insights on system change and what that could look like."
What is the cause that motivates you most?
"I'm passionate about sustainability and environmental justice. While the future can seem very dark and gloomy, I can't even consider not fighting for a world that would be more respectful of nature and people. I put all my energy in this cause but I'm also a firm advocate for animal rights because, as Joaquin Phoenix said in his Oscar acceptance speech, it's not different fights, it's one big fight against injustice."
"It's not different fights. It's one big fight against injustice."
Challenges of what you do?
"So many! Between policy makers that only vote for popular measures to be reelected, to the lack of awareness from the general public, to CEOs and shareholders only focusing on short term profit rather than the big picture, fighting for a more liveable planet is definitely not an easy task. But there's more and more of us and I'm convinced change is coming very soon."
Career highlight so far?
"I love what I do so it's not easy to pick one. I'm going to go for two."
"As an activist, it might have been when we pressured the G7 in 2015 to commit to focusing their development efforts on women and girls: a crucial group if we want to achieve sustainability, but also the most vulnerable to climate change."
"As an educator, it's every day that I go to a 'disadvantaged' school here in Brussels to talk about sustainability. The youth are not only interested, they want to learn more and be able to fight a system, not just be more zero waste or eat less meat!"
A dream project for you?
"I dream a lot... But the two things I would love to do, which are completely disconnected from each other: the first is to create a platform that would allow people to understand more of the policy making process and be able to influence it on a regular basis. No more votes happening behind the scenes! The second would be to live on a permaculture farm close to the ocean, surrounded by rescue animals and organizing workshops to reconnect people with nature. It really reflects the conflict in me!"
Favourite websites or social media handles?
"I love Mary Robinson's podcast about women in the field of climate change: Mothers of Invention. My friend @hollyrose.eco educates on regenerative agriculture, which is absolutely fascinating, and @jamie_s_margolin is such an inspiration when it comes to climate justice."
"If you're able to, join the fight against climate breakdown, such as joining a local Extinction Rebellion group for instance, and vote for people who care about the longer term sustainability of our environment and society."
"Individual efforts are great but if we're serious about this issue, we need system change, and this can only come through the development and implementation of policies that will make sustainability a priority."
"I can't even consider not fighting for a world that would be more respectful of nature and people."
Follow Chloé Mikolajczak on Instagram and Medium, and read her piece for the UNDP: Six things you didn't know about the true cost of fast fashion.
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One big fight against injustice. ✦
