DC Climate Week: Food+Climate – Reducing Food System Emissions in the Current Climate
Event description
At this DC Climate Week panel, environmental experts, advocates, and food industry leaders will explore the latest strategies to reduce emissions from food production and consumption. From shifting institutional food purchasing to scaling alternative proteins and tackling food waste, the discussion will highlight bold, evidence-based solutions that are gaining traction in today’s political and economic climate.
GFI’s Maille O’Donnell will join the panel to spotlight alternative proteins as a high-impact climate solution and share insights on effective messaging and public investment strategies that can drive real progress. This is a key moment to bring food system transformation to the center of climate conversations—and to lead with ideas that meet the moment.
Event location
Meet the speaker
Maille O’Donnell
SENIOR POLICY SPECIALIST, PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND INDUSTRY
Maille works to advance government support for alternative proteins by analyzing the policy landscape, engaging with stakeholders, and advocating for public funding and incentives to accelerate the industry. Prior to joining GFI, Maille worked on sustainable food systems at the World Resources Institute and studied food policy at the University of Cambridge.
Upcoming events
View all events
Bruce Friedrich at Johns Hopkins University: Meat — a homecoming conversation
Event description Co-hosted with the Center for a Livable Future (based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health), this event is a chance to connect the dots between…
The Future of Innovation, Sustainability, and the Law Symposium
GFI’s Madeline Cohen joins Northwestern Pritzker Law’s 2026 Animal Law Symposium for a timely conversation on the legal and policy questions shaping the future of food innovation.
Alternative Protein Symposium: Bridging Science and Society
Join Bruce Friedrich and our Alt Protein Project leaders from NC State, Duke University, and Virginia Tech at the Alternative Protein Symposium: Bridging Science and Society.
The Business of Alt Protein: Messaging to drive consumer adoption of plant-based foods
Join CEO of People for Better Food, Emilie Fitch, and GFI’s Associate Director of Market Insights, Jody Kirchner, to explore new research on the messaging strategies that effectively resonate with…
Building Your Alt Protein Career: Gastronomic science
Join us to learn how gastronomic science can be translated into high-impact food solutions.
Animal-Free Meat: The Next Agricultural Revolution
Come learn how science, policy, and industry can work together to satisfy the world’s soaring demand for meat, no animals required.
The Climate Challenge & Protein Diversification for the Global South
Food systems sit at the center of the climate challenge. This DC Climate Week session brings together development finance leaders, researchers, and industry experts to explore how diversified protein production…
