Climate change will primarily be felt through the water cycle: people will be exposed to too much water, not enough water, or unpredictable water. Investing in climate-resilient water and sanitation to expand access to the billions of people who are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change will be a key solution in building resilience for communities. Despite great strides in making clean water accessible, the global water crisis is the #5 global risk in terms of impact to society, according to a World Economic Forum report. There is still much work to do to multiply the benefits of clean water.

Hosted by The Conduit on March 27th, Water, Climate, and Catalytic Philanthropy will explore how flexible and long-term grant funding and investments in clean water and sanitation are accelerating progress towards climate change. The discussion will highlight key solutions and how catalytic philanthropy is uniquely positioned to unlock investment capital at scale to solve the global water and climate crisis – challenges that philanthropy alone cannot solve.

Moderator:

Alix Lebec is the founder and CEO of Lebec Consulting, a women-owned and led company working across philanthropy, impact investing, and sustainable finance. A seasoned entrepreneur, impact investor, and strategic advisor, Alix’s two-decade long career spans the World Bank, Clinton Global Initiative, and Water.org. Before founding Lebec Consulting in 2020, Alix was a chief architect of WaterEquity, launching the organization alongside co-founders Gary White and Matt Damon and an entrepreneurial team. Alix holds a Master of Science in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from the American University of Paris. She serves on the board of iDE and is a member of 100 Women in Finance. She is a regular speaker and writer on philanthropy and sustainable investing, and the urgency of investing in women in emerging markets

Speakers:

Michelle Yue is a philanthropist and entrepreneur helping women and girls fulfil their potential to change the world. Michelle is Co-Founder of The Beam Network, a global community of women wealth holders who are empowered to align their investments with their values. The Beam offers an independent, holistic program of masterclasses, events, and experiences so members can have greater confidence and impact in their financial decisions. She is Co-Founder and Chair of The Millby Foundation, which works in the UK and Southeast Asia on the challenges facing adolescent girls. She is also Chair of The Freedom Fund’s Council of Advocates and serves on the board of The Robert HN Ho Family Foundation.

Gary White is an observer, an innovator, and a passionate problem-solver. He has created solutions that have empowered tens of millions of people in need with access to safe water and sanitation. Gary is the CEO and Co-founder of Water.org and WaterEquity, nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering people in the developing world to gain access to safe water and sanitation. Gary developed Water.org’s WaterCredit Initiative, creating new financing options for poor populations to meet their water supply and sanitation needs. He also developed and now leads WaterEquity, the first-ever impact investment manager dedicated to ending the global water crisis in our lifetime, with an exclusive focus on raising and deploying capital to water and sanitation businesses that serve people living in poor communities throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Chiara Trabacchi is the Senior Adaptation Manager at British International Investments (BII), where she is leading the implementation of the organization’s approach to climate adaptation and resilience and TCFD recommendations. Prior to joining BII Chiara worked for both public and private organizations, including the IDB Group and the World Bank Group. Chiara holds a PhD in Science and Management of Climate Change.

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