About me
Hi, I’m Antonella Bortolato!
With a bachelor’s and a first master’s in Oriental Studies, a second master’s in Development Economics and a Certificate in Circular Economy-Sustainable Materials Management, my background encompasses different experiences and knowledge, mostly in the non-profit sector: a perfect match to understand the present crisis.
I worked with international organisations such as UN agencies on the Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality, in Europe and the Middle East; I have been a Committee Member of the Zero Waste Association in Fontainebleau.
I now work with NGOs and think tanks that emphasise a switch in countries’ economy, envisaging a degrowth and sustainable climate policy that respects the planetary boundaries. Green Growth and the Circular Economy have limits: I advocate for an economy based on sufficiency and sobriety among individuals and small business. I deliver communication pieces writing compelling stories and I perform research and literature reviews for report writing.
I am Italian and fleunt in English and French.
My Core Beliefs
I consider myself a degrowther, as I think degrowth is the key factor for our society to stop the global emission of CO2 and restore the equilibrium that mother nature has come to achieve in a very long time. I have been an activist for environmental protection and animal rights for many years, and worked for the UN on gender equality. Still, despite all my efforts to raise awareness among the public, I always felt that something was missing in the general picture. I started to dive into research and readings, till I found that the answer I was looking for was economic degrowth, decolonization and that global inequality and the climate crisis are deeply interconnected. I learned how capitalism is the real cause of all problems, and I came to the conclusion that I want to contribute to changing our society, for a post-growth world.
Italy is the cradle of history and art crafts, it is natural to me to think that our society needs to learn again, from the past, how to consume less, rediscover ancient knowledge and ways to craft objects that last as long as possible and train people to repair them, learn to be content with much less, reduce waste and build self-sufficient economies.
I don’t want to “fight climate change”, the climate is not our enemy but it has been our ally for thousands of years, that’s the reason why life can exist on this planet. I am honest and transparent, so if you want to work with me your ideals are honest and you believe in a well-being economy, where the profit maximization doesn’t fit. Buying more sustainable stuff won’t save the world, we need to learn to reduce our consumption.
I believe that intensive breeding farms should stop existing, I believe that all forms of living beings deserve respect as we all belong to a great family and that all sorts of animal suffering should be banned.
