Outrage + Optimism

On April 28th, millions of people across Spain, Portugal and beyond were plunged into darkness in one of Europe’s most severe blackouts in decades. Was it a cyberattack? A renewables failure? Or might things be a little more complex? This week, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Christiana Figueres, and Paul Dickinson dig into what we know, what we don’t, and ask what this blackout really tells us about the transition to renewables. They speak with energy strategist Kingsmill Bond of Ember and hear an on-the-ground account from José Manuel Entrecanales, CEO of global renewables leader Acciona, to build a picture of how our grids function – and how they fail. Plus: what can we say when friends or colleagues claim that ‘renewables aren’t reliable’? And, after our recent conversations reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis, what might Pope Leo XIV mean for future climate leadership? Learn more  🔌 Ember’s report, ‘Energy Security in an Insecure World’ 🎧 Octopus CEO Greg Jackson interviewed on the Azeem Azhar’s Exponential View podcast 💡 Simon Evans’s analysis for Carbon Brief on the role of gas in electricity pricing 🌐 The IEA’s report, ‘Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions’ 🌳 ‘Pope Francis was a passionate climate advocate. Will Pope Leo XIV continue his legacy?’ in EuroNews Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says that net zero is politically unachievable without radical rethinking: a shift away from reducing consumption and toward technologies that can remove carbon both at the source and from the atmosphere. So, are carbon capture and carbon removal really viable - and more palatable - alternatives to a rapid fossil fuel phaseout? And is our net zero strategy failing, or simply failing to be explained? Hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson dive into the heart of these questions and explore what Blair’s comments mean for the wider net zero debate. At a time when climate action is becoming increasingly politicised and weaponised, they consider how we might frame net zero as something that improves people’s lives, rather than threatening them. And how we can ensure that every credible climate solution stays on the table. With timely and provocative contributions from listeners and friends of the podcast - including former BBC News Science Editor David Shukman and Senior Policy Advisor at Carbonfuture Sebastian Manhart - the hosts ask: can we rescue the net zero brand before it’s written off? Learn more  📘 The Tony Blair Institute’s report, ‘The Climate Paradox: Why We Need to Reset Action on Climate Change’ ✈️ ‘Aviation industry is ‘failing dramatically’ on climate, insiders say’ in the Guardian 🌱 The Future We Choose, by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac 📣 Our previous episode on communicating climate change with John Marshall, whose work Christiana references in this episode Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimismLinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

Australia heads to the polls this weekend - with climate firmly on the ballot. Is the country ready to lose its reputation as the battleground of the climate wars? And are we about to see a lasting shift in a nation that has for years been torn between its sunlight and its coal? As a pivotal election looms, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson examine what’s at stake for one of the world’s highest per-capita emitters. After months of polling ahead, the opposition Coalition now faces a late surge from the governing Labor Party, with the Greens, Teals and independents all likely to play a crucial role. The result could reinforce, roll-back or reshape domestic climate policy, and determine whether Australia emerges as a global climate leader at a time when others are stepping away from the stage. To understand what’s going on, the team calls up friend of the show Dean Bialek, Founder and Managing Director of The Pacific Project. Together, they explore the opportunities for Australia in the energy transition, the narratives and dynamics driving this election, and the country’s potential role as a regional leader as it hopes to host 2026’s COP31 with other Pacific nations. So, does Australia have a role to play in reigniting regional and global climate momentum? And how will this election shape the climate fight - both within and beyond its borders. Learn more 🌿 Philip Levin’s opinion piece in the New York Times, ‘Trump Tried to Derail Our Work. We Banded Together and Moved Forward.’🦅 The Economist’s US cover this week, reported by Yahoo🔬 Hungry Beast’s ‘I’m A Climate Scientist’ video⚡ ABC News Australia’s graphic, illustrating the shift in Australia’s energy mix Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for fossil fuels? This Earth Day, Outrage + Optimism explores a seismic shift in global energy: the possibility that major oil and gas companies are entering a self-managed decline. Have fossil fuel companies been overvalued for decades? And are they now quietly winding themselves down?  For years, analysts and campaigners have questioned why these companies are valued as if they'll pump oil forever. With rising climate risks, tightening regulation, and growing investor scrutiny, the foundations of their business model have looked increasingly shaky. Now, something remarkable is happening. From Exxon to Shell, oil majors are cutting back on capital investment, failing to replace their reserves, and instead handing profits back to shareholders. Could this be the beginning of an industry in managed decline? In this Earth Day special, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson sit down with Mark Campanale, founder of Carbon Tracker and the originator of the ‘stranded assets’ concept that helped launch the global divestment movement. Is this truly the start of fossil fuel’s final chapter? Or is it a strategic pivot - away from fuels and toward petrochemicals, plastics, and a long tail of influence? Learn more  🏛️ Adam Serwer’s article, ‘The Constitutional Crisis is Here’ in The Atlantic 🖍️ Reporting on the White House deportation cartoon  🚨 Ezra Klein’s video on illegal deportation, ‘The Emergency is Here’ 🏳️ Harry Benham’s Substack piece, ‘Leaving the battlefield: oil companies are quitting renewables, yes, but also quitting energy’ 🌍 Carbon Tracker’s Paris Maligned Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

In the wake of this morning’s sad announcement about the death of Pope Francis, Christiana Figueres reflects on his important legacy as a champion for environmental and justice causes, and shares some of the late Pope’s own words, reflecting on the landmark Paris Agreement. Learn more  🌍 Pope Francis’s words in Profiles of Paris📜 Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

As the US retreats from international climate leadership and looks increasingly inwards, can China step up and steer the global energy transition? And if it can, what shape will that transition take? In the latest of our country deep-dives, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore China’s pivotal and complex role in decarbonising our world. At home, the nation is a technology superpower, the driver behind the renewables and EV revolutions, and dominates the world in solar panels, batteries and green hydrogen. But it’s also a coal-powered polluter, with a history of taking a backseat in traditional climate diplomacy on the international stage. So, with global geopolitics and trade realigning, is it about to pick a lane? To unpack all this, the team is joined by Li Shuo, Director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute. At a time of flux, he outlines the complex forces shaping China’s strategy, and considers what we might expect to see from it in the years ahead. Above all, one thing is clear: China’s role will be a defining force in the next decade of climate progress. And the impact of its action - or inaction - will be felt around the world. Learn more  🔩 ‘China halts critical rare earth mineral exports as Trump teases new tariffs’ from the Independent 🔋 BloombergNEF’s update on global investments into the energy transition, highlighting China’s role 💥 ‘China hits out at Trump's "blackmail" and spells out conditions for ending trade war’ in TAG24 Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExecutive Producer: Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

What happens when the US tears up the rulebook on global trade? And what does that mean for the planet? Plus: what on earth is happening in Greenland? And does it really signal an unlikely MAGA embrace of climate science? In this urgent and wide-ranging episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore the fallout from Trump’s new global tariffs, reflect on the environmental movement’s complex relationship with free trade, and ask what this moment tells us about democracy, power and inequality. Later, Christiana shares highlights from a timely conversation she recently had in Paris, with former US Vice President Al Gore and France’s Special Representative for COP21 Laurence Tubiana. Together, they consider the impact of money in politics, the poly-solutions to our state of polycrisis, and the importance of staying (stubbornly) optimistic. Learn more  ⚖️ The New Civil Liberties Alliance Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief  📉 Rebecca Schneid’s article for Time, ‘Is the U.S. Heading Into a Recession Amid Trump’s Tariffs? ‘Liberation Day’ Fallout Sparks Fresh Fears’ Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

How have fossil fuel lobbyists become so embedded in the COP system, and how can we disrupt their involvement in domestic and international politics? This is our second episode inspired by the RSC and Good Chance Theatre’s production of Kyoto. In this episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore the history of this often unseen influence, ask why fossil fuel lobbyists have become so embedded in the COP system, and consider what levers are emerging to disrupt their involvement in domestic and international politics. This episode also features another panel from our live event at The Conduit, inspired by the RSC and Good Chance Theatre’s Olivier-nominated production of Kyoto, and hosted by the Financial Times’ Pilita Clark. She’s joined by climate lawyer Tessa Khan, climate finance and energy expert Kirsty Hamilton, and historian of climate change negotiations and former UNFCCC secretariat Joanna Depledge, to unpack how industry lobbyists - from oil majors to car manufacturers - used misinformation, procedural manipulation, and political influence to undermine progress in Kyoto and beyond. So, how have fossil fuel lobby tactics changed in the years since Kyoto? Have they achieved everything they set out to? And what might the world look like if the industry had never sought to delay and derail climate negotiations - or, better yet, had taken responsibility for its role in the green transition? This is our second episode inspired by the RSC and Good Chance Theatre’s production of Kyoto. You can listen to the first episode, Behind the Scenes at Kyoto: Drama and diplomacy on the world stage here.  Learn more: 📚Read: This Guardian article about the Greenpeace loss in North Dakota 📺Watch: Climate of Concern, a 1991 film by Shell Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimismLinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie Clifford and Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

What did it take to get nearly 200 nations to agree on tackling climate change in 1997? And what have we learned in the decades since? In this episode, we reflect on the drama, the impact and the legacy of the Kyoto Protocol, and go behind the scenes of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s powerful and acclaimed production of Kyoto, currently playing in London’s West End. After watching a performance of the play this week, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson introduced a live event at The Conduit, bringing together those who were in the room at COP3 in Kyoto with those now shaping the path to COP30 in Belém and beyond. First, we hear from a panel of seasoned voices from the world of international climate diplomacy, moderated by climate journalist Ed King. Farhana Yamin, longtime negotiator for small island states, speaks of how Kyoto helped amplify the voices of vulnerable nations for the first time. Nick Mabey, co-founder of E3G, reflects on Kyoto’s economic impact, arguing that it sparked a global clean tech revolution by making climate action economically viable. And Richard Kinley, former Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, offered rare insights into the diplomacy that shaped Kyoto. Together, they paint a vivid picture of Kyoto’s legacy and what it still offers to today’s climate movement. Later, we hear from the playwrights behind Kyoto, Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, about how they turned bureaucratic negotiations into riveting on-stage drama.So, what’s changed since 1997? Are we in a better place thanks to Kyoto? And is multilateralism still fit for purpose in today’s world? Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimismOr get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producers: Ellie Clifford and Dino SofosCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

Is Canada a climate leader or a fossil-fueled dinosaur? And what will the recent ascension of Mark Carney as Prime Minister mean for the country’s climate agenda - both domestically and on the world stage? In the second of our country deep-dives, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac speak with Catherine McKenna, Canada’s former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to discuss the mixed history, uncertain present and possible futures of the nation’s climate record. As Canada’s representative at the COP 21 negotiations in Paris, Catherine set the tone for the decade that has followed, during which time the country has increasingly engaged in international climate leadership. Back home, she also spearheaded an innovative carbon pricing system, which, though not always popular, attempted to shift the nation away from its fossil fuel dependency while delivering an economic net benefit for most Canadians. While former Bank of England and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney has become widely known as a climate progressive, his first act in office was to end this carbon tax, leading many to question how his climate ideals will fare in the face of political reality. Catherine reflects on why the tax was scrapped, and the lessons that must be learned if we are to defend climate action. Along with Paul Dickinson, Christiana and Tom consider the challenges facing former Outrage + Optimism guest Carney as he takes the helm of one of the G20’s highest emitters, and ask if we’re witnessing a wider backlash against corporate net zero commitments. Learn more 📚Read: U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s letter seeking information about the Department of Justice and FBI investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the reported freezing of grant money awarded from that fund. 🏭 Mark Carney’s statement on his decision to scrap the carbon tax  Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-HincksVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

How can the law be used to champion human rights, drive progress and fight for climate justice? Paul Dickinson is joined by Laura Clarke, CEO of ClientEarth, the non-profit lawyers for the planet working to protect life on Earth.  Laura shares how ClientEarth has successfully challenged corporate greenwashing, from the Dutch courts ruling against airline KLM for misleading customers, to forcing a Polish company to change the misleading name of its ‘eco-pea coal’. And beyond corporate accountability, how they take on national governments to ensure they uphold their environmental commitments.  In this latest in our series on the new levers of change, co-presenters Tom Rivett-Carnac and Christiana Figueres join Paul to reflect on the ways in which law, climate and justice intersects. Christiana shares her excitement on the new ways in which the ‘web of jurisprudence’ is being woven in a field with little legal precedent.  Plus, each share their take on the news that former Outrage + Optimism guest Mark Carney will become the next Prime Minister of Canada. How will he deal with President Trump amid the ongoing US-Canada trade war? Learn more  💼 ClientEarth case study: KLM Greenwashing found illegalhttps://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/we-re-joining-legal-action-against-dutch-airline-klm-for-greenwashing/  📖 Read more about ClientEarth https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/client-earth-james-thornton/3713181?ean=9781911344810  ⚖️ Learn about how young people are taking action in court https://www.kcl.ac.uk/climate-law/assets/climatechangeandyoungpeople-shortversion.pdf  🛢️ Find out how big oil’s campaign financing for Donald Trump’s re-election may have prevented a congressional investigation https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/big-oil-investigation-congress-republicans   Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimismLinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Jarek ZabaVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Are women the key to solving the climate crisis? Why are they - and children - so disproportionately affected by the issue? And how can men step up to support change?  To mark International Women’s Day, Christiana Figueres is joined by top climate scientist Dr Katharine Hayhoe.  As well as being Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair at Texas Tech University, Katharine is an influential voice in communicating science at the ‘kitchen table’ level. She and Christiana reflect on the barriers women face in STEM roles, Katharine’s work with Science Moms highlights the impact of the crisis on children and the power of women in conversations about the climate.  Women make up just over a third of STEM professionals in the United States and only a quarter of earth science professors globally. In an era where diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being rolled back by President Donald Trump’s government, there’s never been a more urgent need for diverse voices in science. Leading data scientist Hannah Ritchie asks how we communicate in this new landscape.  Plus, Katharine shares how her Evangelical Christian faith fuels—rather than conflicts with—her climate work, as she and Christiana they celebrate how love can be the driving force for all genders to unite for climate justice.  Together with Christiana, co-hosts Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson reflect on why diverse perspectives lead to better solutions and ask how men can support greater gender equality in STEM. Throughout, we hear from incredible women worldwide with inspiring messages for International Women’s Day. From Pat Mitchell and her work on Project Dandelion to Natalie Isaacs of 1 Million Women - plus a rallying cry from Fabian Dattner of Homeward Bound.  Learn more  📺 Watch the Science Moms campaign ad broadcast during the Superbowl  🗣️ Read the Science Moms guide on how to talk about climate change with friends, family, or strangers  🤩 Be inspired by Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk  📩 And check out our newsletter! Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Jarek ZabaVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

Development programmes across the world are still reeling from the swingeing cuts to USAID, whilst other western nations such as the UK and Germany have announced plans to scale back their own aid commitments. With Mike Bloomberg agreeing to fill the gap in climate funding left by the US's withdrawal from Paris, is it up to wealthy philanthropists to fill the hole of state funding? Is it realistic or appropriate for them to do so? And do competing interests from funders compromise work on the ground? Tom Rivett-Carnac, Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson examine the potential for a slippery slope in which governments increasingly abdicate their responsibilities for minimising problems for people and the planet.  To delve into the topic more broadly, Christiana speaks to Helen Mountford, president and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, a global platform of researchers, strategists and grantmakers aiming to end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy.  Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $2 billion to more than 850 grantees in over 50 countries. Whether electric vehicles or clean cooling for air conditioning units, Helen cites examples of philanthropic programmes that not only tackle climate destruction but also improve standard of living for people. And after expressing some much justified outrage, Christiana and Helen agree on a moment of optimism for bottom-up community coordination.  Learn more: 📖 Read up on the ClimateWorks Clean Cooling programme.  🧑‍🎓Learn more about wider trends of slashing global aid 💬 Let us know whether you think philanthropy can or should fill the gap left by governments by sending us a voice note! 🎟️Be a part of it: We’re very excited to announce we are hosting an event at The Conduit Club in London on the 22nd March and we’d like to invite you, our wonderful listeners, to join us. We’ll have just been to see the West End play Kyoto, an incredible dramatisation of the 1997 Climate Summit and will be hosting an evening of thought-provoking conversations with key insiders who were in the room at this negotiation, plus activists and thought leaders who can help us think about how we shape the next chapter of climate action. Click here to find out how to get your tickets.  Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Jarek ZabaVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

How does a nation transform its forest coverage from 21% to 60% in half a century? What are the policies that can place nature at the very heart of political thinking? And why does Christiana Figueres see a picture of her dad when she visits an ATM? Christiana is joined in her home country by co-hosts Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson as they explore Costa Rica’s remarkable history and constitutionally guaranteed environmental safeguards. Our resident expert explains her very deep personal bond to her country’s politics as her father, former President José Figueres Ferrer, was also the father of the Second Republic, most famous for abolishing the country’s army. It is perhaps Costa Rica’s policies towards nature that truly elevates this nation above its peers, from its drive on rewilding to carbon taxes. But this incredible progress is now under threat: Christiana and former President Luis Guillermo Solís reflect on the populist Trump-like measures implemented by the current administration, including plans for a regressive return to fossil fuels. Will the government go through with it? ———————————Learn more: 📝 Check out Article 50 of the constitution of Costa Rica: All persons have the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. For that, they are legitimated to denounce the acts that infringe this right and to claim reparation for the damage caused. 🌱 Read about the human right to a healthy environment  💬 Have a suggestion for another country case study? Let us know by sending us a voice note! Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Jarek ZabaVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

What is the future of climate action? Having previously interrogated the failures of multilateralism in the years since the Paris Agreement was signed, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson look to the future and the alternative ‘levers of change’ that will tackle the climate crisis.  These avenues are needed now more than ever after a whirlwind of executive orders and policies passed by President Donald Trump’s administration. These have placed climate action firmly in its crosshairs, whilst conflating it with other conservative talking points such as transgender rights and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programmes. So what other levers can be pulled? Whether it’s the utilisation of technology; our interaction with the worlds of business and finance; mass engagement with the public at large; climate litigation that moves the debate into the courtroom; and the role of young people – not just as campaigners, but also as corporate advisors. Will these approaches help bypass increasing obstructionism in the fight for climate justice? —————— 📊 Check out the graphs Paul mentioned about the power of wind and solar generation, as well as EV and battery sales! 💡 Learn more about Flooded People UK 💬 Have we missed any exciting levers of change? Let us know by sending us a voice note! 📺 WATCH: 10 years on from Paris, Christiana Figueres is forced to confront her negotiation style: “There’s no one less diplomatic than I am!” Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Jarek ŻabaVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

Christiana Figueres, the driving force behind the groundbreaking Paris Climate Agreement, reflects on the high-stakes negotiations that reshaped the global fight against climate change in the year that marks its ten-year anniversary. With the fate of the planet hanging in the balance, she reveals the relentless pushback from the fossil fuel lobby, and the ever-shifting geopolitical tensions that threaten progress. Will the world stay on course, or are we teetering on the edge of climate catastrophe? Co-hosts Paul Dickinson and Tom Rivett-Carnac recall the final hours of the deal being adopted, the extraordinary feeling of seeing the world come together in unanimous support of climate action and make their predictions for how the business and political worlds will move forward in a new era of leadership. As Donald Trump kicks off his second term with a raft of immigration policies, the hosts discuss how the number of people set to be displaced due to climate is set to exceed a billion by 2050. Plus, whether 2025 is the year the insurance industry reaches an existential crisis as climate-related weather events, like the LA fires, become uninsurable.  ********************************************Want to share your views on how the Paris Climate Agreement changed the course of history? Send us a voice note! Or understand more about today's episode:  Read about the state of California’s lawsuit against big oil.Dive into the 25-page Paris Climate Agreement, or read the preamble for all the crucial context as recommended by Christiana Figueres.  Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimismOr get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Nina PullmanVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

What’s an NDC? What does El Niño tell us about global temperatures this year? And why could a landmark ICJ ruling unlock a wave of climate legal cases? Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson break down the climate acronyms and buzzwords you need to know in 2025. With a crucial year ahead for climate action, this podcast is your essential guide to the key terms shaping global discussions. From breaking down BRICS to how President Donald Trump’s return to the White House will change the climate conversation. Plus, Paul finally decodes the ultimate acronym soup of climate finance jargon and the hosts discuss whether scrapping acronyms altogether could make the climate conversation more accessible.  ******************************************** Are there any major climate acronyms you think we missed? Send us a voice note! Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism  LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form.  Producer: Nina PullmanVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

What will a Trump presidency mean for the climate movement? Hours after Trump takes office for the second time, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson regroup to take stock and share their reactions to the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. Guest Greg Bertelsen, chief executive of the Climate Leadership Council, offers his perspective on positive ways in which to engage with the Trump presidency on climate and Paul Dickinson shares what business leaders will be discussing at this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos.  ******************************************** Do you have any views on how the climate community could move forward under a Trump presidency? Send us a voice note! Follow us on social media for behind the scenes and video clips:Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimismYou can also contact us via this form.  Producer: Nina PullmanVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

The devastating fires in LA have dominated the headlines in a dramatic start to 2025. Christiana Figueres,Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson discuss their link with climate, as the newly-released Copernicus report confirms the world has exceeded 1.5 degrees of warming.  And, in the year that marks halfway in the decisive decade for world emissions, our hosts are here with your definitive guide to the biggest climate moments coming up in 2025. What solutions will technology, AI and business people bring forward this year? What are the key meeting points and dates for the climate community? And just how did Tom and Christiana go from watching Costa Rica in the football World Cup in a pub in New York to delivering the history-making Paris climate talks? ******************************************** Did we miss any major climate dates in your diary? Send us a voice note! Follow us on social media for behind the scenes and video clips:Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimismOr contact us via this form Producer: Nina PullmanVideo Producer: Caitlin HanrahanExec Producer: Ellie CliffordCommissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas  This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025

Outrage + Optimism is for anyone who is not ready to give up on making the world a better place. Feeling exhausted at the thought of keeping up with climate news ahead of this pivotal year? Join Christiana, Tom and Paul in their weekly conversations to make sense of it all, bringing you expert insight, analysis and inspiring conversations with some of the world’s most visionary thinkers and influential decision makers. Subscribe to Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast.  Follow us on LinkedIn, on Instagram and X. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2025

How can you reduce the environmental impact of your cat or dog? What’s the best way to prepare for climate breakdown? And how should you talk to children about climate? Christiana, Paul and Tom wrap up the year by answering an eclectic and insightful selection of your questions.    Plus: they digest the fourth and final COP of the year, known as the Desertification COP, which took place in December in Saudi Arabia and reflect on their own feelings at the end of a challenging year for the climate movement.   Huge thanks to our community of listeners for all the great questions submitted and all the support this year. Apologies if we didn’t get to your question this time but do keep sending them our way.  See you in 2025!   NOTES AND RESOURCES   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   Please follow us on social media! |Instagram  | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

Ben Rhodes—writer, political commentator, and former Deputy National Security Advisor under President Obama—joins the host team to dissect the challenges of a Trump 2.0 administration. Rhodes issues a bold call for a new "climate populist" strategy, to redirect the populist right-wing outrage over climate action toward exposing the oil and gas industry's stranglehold on climate negotiations, as seen at recent COP summits. Christiana, Tom, Paul, plus special guest Fi Macklin, invite Rhodes to explore themes of strong leadership, the shifting dynamics of geopolitics, Trump’s appeal to the U.S. electorate, and how the world could navigate global climate politics without the US over the next four years? NOTES AND RESOURCES GUESTS Ben Rhodes, writer, political commentator, and national security analyst Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram   Fiona Macklin, Senior Advisor on Groundswell, Global Optimism LinkedIn   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2024

This week, Christiana, Tom and Paul tackle the latest on the global plastics treaty (known as INC-5), which ended last week without a deal. Why were countries unable to agree a deal despite the huge amount of public concern about plastic pollution? What pathways remain for an agreement in 2025? And why is it so important to maintain focus on plastic from a climate point of view?  Dive into the challenges and explore potential solutions with the team. Continuing this critical theme, Ellen MacArthur, Founder & Chair of Trustees of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, world record-breaking sailor and circular economy advocate, joins Christiana to share an exclusive conversation as part of a collaboration between The Circular Economy Show and Outrage + Optimism.   Together they consider what’s next for the global plastics treaty, get excited about the role of the private sector in tackling plastic pollution, and highlight how the visibility of plastics can help capture public attention on climate. Before you go… Listener Survey Help shape the podcast for 2025! If you haven’t yet completed our annual listener survey, we’d be so grateful if you can spare 10 minutes to complete it here.   Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and what you want more of from Outrage + Optimism.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUEST Dame Ellen MacArthur Website | Twitter (X)  Ellen MacArthur Foundation Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)  The Foundation works to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, if you’d like to find out more, the Foundation’s podcast ‘The Circular Economy Show’ talks to experts from across industry, governments and academia to hear first hand about how the circular economy is being developed and scaled.   December Mailbag Episode  We would LOVE to hear your questions for our end of year listener Mailbag episode. Whether it is your questions on our most recent How to Live a Good Life series, questions on the recent COPs or everything and anything in between. Please either:  Send us an email: [email protected] with Climate Questions: December Mailbag in the title. Visit our social media pages and drop the question in the comments.  Alternatively, if you want the chance for your message to be played on the show, record a message for us here Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2024

This week, the team dives into the dramatic highs and lows of COP29 in Baku. With negotiations stretching into the final hours, a hard-fought finance deal emerged to bolster climate action and support for the most vulnerable. Yet, Christiana describes the agreement as “paltry at best,” highlighting the yawning chasm between what was agreed upon and what is truly necessary to address the climate crisis. For those advocating for an ambitious, needs-based outcome, this year’s COP was a bruising experience—marked by frustration, hurt, and disappointment. The hosts share their thoughts on the controversies surrounding Azerbaijan's COP presidency and the challenges faced by negotiators committed to transformational change. Finally, the team welcomes a very special guest: superstar producer Clay Carnill. As Clay prepares to leave the show, the hosts reflect on his incredible contributions to Outrage + Optimism—from the early days to now. Known for his humour, joy, unparalleled talent, attention-to-detail, professionalism, musicality and general all-round awesomeness, Clay has been a cornerstone of the podcast’s success. He will be deeply missed by the entire team. We send Clay off with all our love—and best wishes for him (and the Detroit Lions!) on the journey ahead. 🎧 Tune in for reflections, critiques, and heartfelt goodbyes.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   I’m glad we got a deal at COP29 - but western nations stood in the way of a much better one by Mukhtar Babayev   December Mailbag Episode  We would LOVE to hear your questions for our end of year listener Mailbag episode. Whether it is your questions on our most recent How to Live a Good Life series, questions on the recent COPs or everything and anything in between. Please either:  Send us an email: [email protected] with Climate Questions: December Mailbag in the title. Visit our social media pages and drop the question in the comments.  Alternatively, if you want the chance for your message to be played on the show, record a message for us here   Listener Survey Help shape the podcast for 2025! If you haven’t yet completed our annual listener survey, we’d be so grateful if you can spare 10 minutes to complete it here. Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, and what you want more of from Outrage + Optimism.   GUEST Clay Carnill Website | Patreon | LinkedIn | Instagram | Email   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

This week, our hosts talk about what’s been happening - and not happening - in Rio and Baku. Christiana clarifies the mandate of COPs  and advocates for COP processes and presidencies to be separate from national positions and interests while robustly defending multi-lateralism. The hosts discuss how world leaders meeting in Rio for the G20 meeting have sent a powerful political signal to those meeting in COP29 in Baku: a need for "rapidly and substantially scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources". The hosts are joined by Sue Reid, Climate Finance Advisor at Global Optimism who is on the ground in Baku. Together, they discuss what outcomes to expect as negotiators race towards the finish line in the second and final week of COP29. Sue Reid shares her optimism at leading investors at the pinnacle of the finance food chain calling for the same commitments in climate and nature as leading civil society advocates and developing countries. The hosts and Sue talk about the critical importance of innovative mechanisms to achieve the climate financing needed and the outsized impact of public finance to leverage and enable private finance.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders Declaration COP29 gets boost from Rio as G20 leaders back scaling up climate finance from ‘billions to trillions’   GUEST Sue Reid, Climate Finance Advisor to Christiana Figueres at Global Optimism Global Optimism Website | LinkedIn   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2024

Recorded live from COP29 in the UK Pavilion in Baku, Bigger, Better, Bolder: Updating NDCs in Line with 1.5 Degrees captures an energetic dialogue on the crucial role of bold leadership in climate action. Moderated by Tom, this dynamic session dives into why governments must ambitiously update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to meet the 1.5°C goal, recognizing this decade as a pivotal chance to shape a sustainable future. Kicking off with insights from Ed Miliband, the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, we explore how the UK’s ambitious NDC exemplifies targets aligned with scientific guidelines, the public’s mandate, and the need for investment-ready, collaborative action. Tom also welcomes Emma Pinchbeck, CEO, Climate Change Committee and Russell Read, Lead Delegate, We Are Family Foundation to unpack how real-economy and societal stakeholders can drive meaningful NDC implementation. He talks to Nigel Topping, non-executive Director of the National Wealth Fund and Diana Layfield, Chair of British International Investment about the critical role business plays in inspiring investment and innovation both domestically and internationally.  The session concludes as Ana Toni, Brazil’s National Secretary for Climate Change, joins Ed Miliband in a live Q&A, discussing how partnerships between major powers, such as Brazil and the UK, can accelerate global climate progress before the mid-decade tipping point.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUESTS The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Website   Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of Climate Change Committee Twitter (X)   Russell Reed, lead delegate for the We Are Family Foundation Website   Nigel Topping, Non-exec director of National Wealth Fund and COP26 Climate Champion LinkedIn    Diana Layfield, Chair of British International Investment Website   HE Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, from Brazil as COP30 Presidency LinkedIn   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

Recorded Live at the UK COP Pavilion and moderated by Tom, ‘From Call to Action: the Bridgetown Initiative and delivering Global Financial System Reform’ is an inspiring conversation between Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Foreign Secretary, UK, David Lammy. Mia Mottley called the world to action when she released the initial Bridgetown Initiative at UNGA in 2022. Now in its third iteration, the Bridgetown Initiative brings together an ambitious and holistic set of calls for reforms to make the Global Financial System more inclusive, more shock-responsive, and better scaled to meet the financing challenges and needs for developing countries. The UK is ready to stand up to face those challenges head-on. As a G7 country with the largest sustainable financial centre in the world, a track-record of delivering financial innovations and influencing the global debate, a key voice in the governance of the System, the UK has a strong track-record and platform to deliver. And deliver we must: the global financial system needs to deliver a fairer deal for developing countries. This conversation is a frank discussion between two leading voices to understand the problems, identify solutions, and drive reforms to create a world free of poverty on a liveable planet. Huge thanks goes to UK COP Pavilion for allowing us to use their audio recording of this conversation. To watch more live events from COP 29 make sure to follow their YouTube channel here   NOTES AND RESOURCES   The Bridgetown Initiative UK COP Pavilion UK Government at COP29 GUESTS   The Honourable Mia Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)    The Rt Hon David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024

This week, Paul and Tom are joined by Tony Goldner, from the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. Tony helps make sense of what happened at the recent Biodiversity COP in Colombia and discusses the many ways that nature is starting to appear on business’ and regulators’ agendas. Companies are waking up to the fact that their resilience depends on the resilience of nature. Many companies are in the process of developing and setting long-term transition plans to net-zero. Tony explains that as biodiversity and nature-loss risks mount, businesses need to also consider that nature-based dependencies, risks, and mitigations should be put in place.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUEST Tony Goldner, TNFD Executive Director TNFD Website | LinkedIn   Q&A The clock is ticking: finance sector deforestation action must now go mainstream with Stephanie Kimball, Senior Director of Climate Strategy at Conservation International and Sue Reid, Climate Finance Advisor to Christiana Figueres at Global Optimism   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024

As the news of Donald Trump’s 2024 US election victory makes headlines around the world, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson unpack Trump and Harris’s campaign and discuss the implications of a Trump-led administration on US climate ambition, both domestically and internationally. Or as Tom puts it, “What the hell just happened in the US?” Join the hosts as they analyze potential shifts in policy, how business and finance could counterbalance federal setbacks, and what this means for COP29, NDCs, and global multilateral efforts. During their discussion, the hosts pose some crucial questions: how would a US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement impact global decarbonisation progress? What role will China play as the climate leadership landscape shifts?  Amidst these turbulent times, we’re thrilled to inject a dose of much needed optimism by welcoming Congresswoman-Elect Yassamin Ansari to Outrage + Optimism. Fresh from her election to the US House of Representatives for Arizona’s 3rd District, Yassamin joins us with her inspiring perspective on leading progressive change at the federal level. Her election, which makes her the second ever Iranian American to be elected to Congress, brings hope for resilient climate leadership despite federal setbacks.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUEST Congresswoman-Elect Yassamin Ansari Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2024

This week, Christiana has a fascinating window into the Biodiversity COP negotiations underway in Colombia. From Cali, she’s joined by Freya Newman and Irene Suarez Perez from the Global Optimism team who give us the lowdown into what’s going on inside and outside the negotiating rooms. They tell what’s unique about Colombia hosting, how it’s given a platform to indigenous and local community voices; and why business is talking about love as well as finance. Also joining Christiana from Cali is Monica Medina, a fellow with Conservation International and the US’ first Special Envoy for Biodiversity. They have an animated chat about the essential interdependence of climate and biodiversity, and Medina shares her optimism about a new oceans fund. And they take a deep (and refreshingly nerdy!) dive into DSI - digital sequencing information - and how we can ensure lucrative genetic codes, often found in the Global South, are fairly compensated and reimbursed.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUESTS Monica Medina, Arnhold Distinguished Fellow at Conservation International, former Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science and the first US Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X)   Irene Suarez Perez, Senior Advisor - Nature & Food System Transformation - Groundswell at Global Optimism LinkedIn   Freya Newman, Advisor, Groundswell at Global Optimism LinkedIn   Please fill out our Annual Listener Survey!   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

This week, as part of our focus on biodiversity during COP 16, we're excited to share a special crossover episode! In the first part of this exciting episode, join Christiana, Tom, and Ben Goldsmith for an insightful conversation about rewilding and its global impact, followed by a full episode of Ben's inspiring podcast Rewilding The World featuring UK national treasure, writer and actor, Stephen Fry. In his conversation with the hosts, Ben explores the concept of rewilding, its potential to reshape ecosystems worldwide, and the critical role grassroots community projects play in this movement. Ben Goldsmith is a pioneer in green investment and a driving force behind the rewilding movement in Britain and across Europe. Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion on the future of biodiversity and rewilding!   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUEST Ben Goldsmith, co-founder and board member of Nattergal and host of Rewilding the World podcast Website | Nattergal | Rewilding the World podcast   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2024

This week, our hosts dive into The Rio Trio! No, this is not the name of a new cocktail but three COPs (Biodiversity in Colombia, Climate in Azerbaijan and Desertification in Saudi Arabia) which are about to happen back-to-back. Plus the plastics treaty negotiations in South Korea. Join our hosts for their take on the history of these three different but interrelated COPs, all conceived in the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. How have they evolved, and how might they continue to evolve to be fit for purpose in a changed world? Since this subject is complex, Christiana uses her get-out clause and phones a special friend for much-needed clarity. Christiana also asks the question: If we had a blank slate now, would it make more sense to kick start a process based on all nine planetary boundaries? Would this help us focus holistically on the interconnected challenges we face? Sit back and listen as the hosts try to make sense of this negotiating super season for the planet and all its peoples. Please keep tuned for special and in-depth coverage from the Outrage + Optimism team to guide you through each of these key moments.    NOTES AND RESOURCES How COPs are organised - Questions and answers  From Cancun to Durban: Implications for Climate and Multilateral Diplomacy by HE Patricia Espinosa COP16 host Colombia pushes for unified UN climate and nature pledges COP Presidencies Launch ‘Rio Trio’  Biodiversity COP Climate COP Desertification COP   GUEST Richard Kinley, President, Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability and former senior official at the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC) from 1993 to 2017. He served as Deputy Executive Secretary from 2006 to 2017 and was intimately involved in the development of UNFCCC as an organization from its establishment and in its management and operations.   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2024

In the final episode of our How to Live a Good Life series, Tom, Paul and Christiana discuss the personal quandary of whether or not to have children in the midst of what appears to be significant climate breakdown. The questions they ponder are complex and philosophical: should we bring children into a world that is, some might say, collapsing? Would you consider having children is immoral, since more people living on the planet leads to greater consumption and emissions, thus exacerbating the problem? Or is having a child the greatest act of hope for the future that anyone can choose to make? The hosts approach this issue from different perspectives, opening up about their personal lives and addressing questions and comments sent in by listeners. We hope to offer you some clarity on this topic, or at least some comfort that even the greatest minds in the climate space sometimes have to take leaps of faith. This is the final episode in the series. We really hope you have enjoyed these episodes. As always, we would love to hear from you so please get in touch.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   Your Kids are Not Doomed by Ezra Klein, NY Times, June 2022 Four in 10 young people fear having children due to climate crisis The Guardian, September 2021  ‘I am starting to panic about my child’s future’: climate scientists wary of starting families, The Guardian, May 2024 Masters of War - Bob Dylan Resources and Consumption: Data from Population Matters The Whirligig by Paul Fleishman Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

Newsflash: In this urgent episode recorded on Friday, October 11th, Tom, Paul, and Christiana come together to discuss the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The hosts express their frustration with the conspiracy theories circulating in the wake of the latest hurricane Milton - at a time when solidarity is needed most. They also dive into the harsh reality that the fossil fuel industry lies at the heart of the destruction. In This Episode: The hosts break down the undeniable science linking man-made global warming to the increasing intensity of hurricanes around the world. As private insurers withdraw from Florida, leaving homeowners and businesses without coverage, the hosts examine the crisis' wide-reaching effects, particularly on the most vulnerable populations. A deep dive into the dangerous disinformation spread by key Republican figures, tracing the real cause of man-made extreme weather back to the fossil fuel industry. The episode closes with sincere condolences for those across the globe who have lost lives and livelihoods due to extreme weather events. Join us for an insightful conversation on climate accountability, disinformation, and the forces fueling these devastating changes to our environment. NOTES AND RESOURCES Weather Catastrophes and Climate Change: Is There Still Hope for Us? The People of the State of California vs. Big Oil Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 12 October 2024

SHOW NOTES:  In the penultimate episode of our How to Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis, our hosts talk about food and food systems. How can we enjoy meals while eating responsibly?  Tom, Paul and Christiana find it difficult to digest our lopsided relationship with food, in which more than two billion people face food insecurity and a third of all food goes to waste.  The conversation is free-range - the hosts reveal what shaped their own rituals around eating. They look at how humanity’s relationship with food went from trust to anxiety, from abundance to scarcity. They argue the merits of different veggie burgers. About a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is linked to food. To limit global warming while feeding a growing population, every part of the food system - from farming to refrigeration - must become cleaner and more efficient. NOTES AND RESOURCES   Global Nutrition Report More than a billion people obese worldwide, research suggests Outrage + Optimism: Our Story of Nature, From Rupture to Reconnection Outrage + Optimism: Yuval Noah Harari on the History of Our Future Outrage + Optimism: 2% for 1.5 with Yuval Noah Harari Drivers of Deforestation Outrage + Optimism: Going Beyond Meat with Ethan Brown Outrage + Optimism: Hungry for Alternatives? How to Grow Your Own Food Environmental Impacts of Food Production 42% of consumers worldwide think most people will likely be eating plant-based food instead of meat in the next ten years Implementing land-based mitigation to achieve the Paris Agreement in Europe requires food system transformation The carbon footprint of foods How to reduce the carbon footprint of your food Hope Farm Statement Fishing boat caught with Illegal 18-mile-long nets Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

Welcome to the third episode in our How to Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis series, where our hosts grapple with some of the fiercest climate conundrums we face.  This week, Tom, Paul and Christiana look at the issue of careers and ask - would you move jobs in response to the climate crisis? Is changing your job your most effective form of climate action? They explore what to look for if you’re attempting to use your career to scale up climate solutions. And they pose the biggie: is there even such a thing as a climate change job and a non-climate change job? Taking a moment to discuss their own careers, the hosts share what they’ve learnt about innovation, interns, and how chair-making can pave the way to the UN! We’d love to hear what your experiences are… Please do get in touch.  NOTES AND RESOURCES ‘Thuto ya Batho’ Teachings from the People: Women Adapt to Climate Change by Maite Nkoana -Mashabane Outrage + Optimism: BP’s Road to Rebuilding Trust with CEO Bernard Looney Cardiff Freight Company Wins NatWest Cymru’s ‘Green Business of the Year Award’ Gen Z seek ethical workplaces as environ-mental health burden bites (Bupa, 2021) 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: Living and working with purpose in a transforming world (Deloitte, 2024) The Undercover Activist Creatives for Climate Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

Is it OK to Fly in a Climate Crisis? In episode 2 of our How To Live A Good Life in a Climate Crisis series, the hosts grapple with one of most divisive issues for those concerned with climate change - is it ok to fly, when flying is responsible for the bulk of our personal carbon footprints, and when 80% of the world never sets foot on a plane? Tom, Paul and Christiana dive into this thorny issue from three different perspectives. Putting forward the case for and against flying, the hosts touch on the miracle of flying, the potential of sustainable aviation fuels and offsets, and the joys of train travel! They hope that these tricky conversations will be a springboard for further and deeper conversations for listeners.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   How much does aviation contribute to climate change? How will this change in the future? Why do aircraft leave contrails in the sky? Europe Talks Flying: navigating public opinion on aviation and climate   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2024

In episode 1 of our How To Live A Good Life in a Climate Crisis series, the Outrage + Optimism hosts introduce you to their new mini series and discuss how they define a good life. For the next few weeks, Tom, Paul and Christiana will explore questions that you, the listeners, have asked us to address, around what it means to live a good life at this pivotal moment, facing uncertainty and judgments. They’ll talk about whether we should fly, what we eat, how to enjoy a meaningful career and whether or not we should have children. This free ranging discussion attempts to shine a light on the interplay between the largest issue facing humanity - the climate crisis - and the difference each of us can make. Although this series concerns itself with individual action, part of our role is to call on governments and other institutions to precipitate systemic change. Please don’t expect any right or wrong answers! Tom, Paul and Christiana will not prescribe you the ingredients for the perfect life! They will share their own insights, stories and struggles. And after listening there’s a good chance you might feel more confused - we only hope you’ll be confused at a deeper level.     We’d love to hear what you think.  NOTES AND RESOURCES   Understanding Ireland Citizen Visions of a Good Life 2030 Fifty Ways to Start a Climate Conversation Climate Week NYC: Love is the Answer   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2024

Since Dr Stephan Harding passed away in September 2024, he has been deeply mourned by the climate community,  many of whom have been touched and inspired by his life and work. In honour of his extraordinary contributions to our understanding of this beautiful planet, we’re re-releasing the Deep Time Walk, narrated by Stephan, and which has already been downloaded over a million times. This re-release includes an introduction by hosts Paul and Tom, and Tom’s eulogy, which he shared at Stephan’s memorial service on 30th September. Stephan Harding was a founding member of Schumacher College where he was a Deep Ecology Research Fellow, celebrated teacher and author. As a celebration of this remarkable and beloved man, we hope you enjoy his history of Gaia, told through immersive sound. We encourage you to set aside time to sit comfortably, relax, and learn to “walk well into the life of Gaia” as Stephan puts it. Stephan has had a massive influence on the climate movement, inspiring global leaders to shift their world view towards a Gaian view. We have the privilege of sharing an exercise of that shift with all of you.   Enjoy and RIP Dr Stephan Harding.   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   — Mentioned links from the episode:   DOWNLOAD: The Deep Time Walk App CHECK OUT: The Deep Time Walk Field Kit LEARN MORE: Deep Time Walk Project   Dr. Stephan Harding Deep Ecology Research Fellow | Senior Lecturer in Holistic Science  Author of Animate Earth and Gaia Alchemy   LINKS:   Schumacher College Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn   Deep Time Walk Website   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres here: Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson: LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @GlobalOptimism on social media and send us a message! Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn   Don't forget to hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss another episode of Outrage + Optimism!

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

How to Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis The Outrage + Optimism team are excited to bring you a series that confronts the big questions we ask ourselves whilst living in a climate crisis. Join hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett Carnac and Paul Dickinson as they grapple with issues like what we should eat, whether we should fly, and how to live with purpose and joy in these uncertain and overwhelming times. First and second episodes released on 3 October.

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

In this special weekend edition of the podcast, hosts Tom, Christiana, and Paul catch up with The Rt Hon David Lammy, the UK’s new Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Office. In a fascinating conversation, they delve into his decision to place climate change at the heart of his first major speech as Foreign Secretary and discuss why he sees the climate emergency as a national security issue.  The Foreign Secretary expresses his outrage at recent trends which have seen climate change used as a political ping pong issue and shares insights into how we might build consensus across parties on the climate and nature agenda. The hosts also take a moment to congratulate him on the appointment of friend of the podcast, Rachel Kyte, as the UK’s new Climate Envoy. Tune in to hear the full conversation and discover why the Foreign Secretary’s answers convince the hosts that the UK is once again a global leader in climate action.Make sure to tune in Thursday October 3rd to our brand new five-part series called How To Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis.  Exploring dilemmas around issues like flying, food and parenting, the hosts explore how we might still have meaningful and good lives amidst the overwhelm and turmoil of the climate crisis.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   Rachel Kyte Appointed as the UK’s Special Representative for Climate  The Kew Lecture: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s speech on the climate crisis David Lammy’s TED Talk: Climate Justice can’t happen without racial justice The Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre GUEST The Rt Hon David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 28 September 2024

In this special episode, our hosts are live at Climate Week New York, joined onstage by a stellar line-up of influential voices from government, the private sector, science, civil society and academia. This flagship event highlights how transformative climate strategies can be supercharged. The conversation centers on the push for ‘positive tipping points’ across three key themes: energy, nature & food, and finance. Supported by Mission 2025 Partners and convened by Groundswell – a collaboration between Global Optimism, Bezos Earth Fund, and Systems Change Lab – alongside the Climate Group, the event showcases leaders from various sectors driving impactful change. Mission 2025 is a coalition of bold leaders, including mayors, governors, CEOs, investors, athletes, musicians, and everyday citizens, all rallying governments to strengthen their national climate commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions) in alignment with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Known as the 'Defenders of Paris,' Mission 2025 Partners arrived at Climate Week NYC with exciting updates. New organizations are stepping up to support governments in setting more ambitious climate plans, accelerating action that can unlock trillions in private investment, boost renewable energy, help industries thrive in a low-carbon economy, and ensure equitable living standards for all. Tune in to hear the latest from Climate Week NYC and how global leaders are working together to shape a sustainable future! NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUESTS   Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Jennifer Morgan, Special Envoy for International Climate Action LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Tim Lenton, Professor of Earth System Science at University of Exeter LinkedIn Veena Balakrishnan, Political Scientist, Intersectional Environmentalist. Co - Founder, Youth Negotiators Academy LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X) Renata Koch Alvarenga, Disaster Risk Financing Specialist, World Bank I Master of Public Policy, Harvard University I Founder and Executive Director, EmpoderaClima LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X) Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder of ReNew and Chairperson Sustainability LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Dr. Günther Thallinger, Member of the Board of Management of Allianz SE, Investment Management, Sustainability LinkedIn Peter Bakker, President & CEO at World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Helen Clarkson, Chief Executive Officer at Climate Group LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Nigar Arpadarai, Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29 LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X) HE Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, from Brazil as COP30 Presidency LinkedIn | Twitter (X)   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

This week, The Climate Pledge turns five and Tom and Christiana talk to Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon, to reflect on the journey of this initiative co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism. At the top of the episode, Tom and Christiana anticipate the frantic and sometimes frustrating weeks ahead in this hectic period for those working in climate, and as wild weather continues to wreak havoc, Christiana and Tom invite us to pause for a moment. How can we listen and better contribute? How can we roll up our sleeves - with hope - and get to work on having a positive impact and building momentum? In their thoughtful interview with Kara, the hosts reflect on how The Climate Pledge has grown over the last five years to over 500 signatories - companies who share an ambition to innovate, accelerate joint action and collaborate across sectors to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2040, ten years earlier than the Paris Agreement. Kara, Tom and Christiana discuss the specific challenges companies face and the solutions and strategies they’re adopting to meet targets. Sharing failures has been just as valuable as sharing successes because, as Tom points out, none of us have decarbonised the global economy before. Unafraid to go deep, they question how we would reduce emissions and redesign society if we kept in mind the earth’s atmosphere. NOTES AND RESOURCES Outrage + Optimism, Live at Climate Week NYC Event Title: It’s Time To Unite For Mission 2025 Event Details: Tuesday 24th September, 12:00 - 13:00 ET, Glasshouse (NYC) Event Description: Mission 2025 is a coalition of courageous leaders - mayors, governors, CEOs, investors, athletes, musicians and citizens - who are inviting governments to ratchet upcoming national climate plans (known as Nationally Determined Contributions) in line with the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5C. Described as ‘Defenders of Paris’, Mission 2025 Partners arrive at Climate Week New York with a major update of new organizations who are ready to embolden governments to set more ambitious plans and accelerate implementation because they know this can unlock trillions in private investment, scale cheap renewable energy, support industries to compete in a low carbon economy, and safeguard living standards equitably for our people. As a live recorded Outrage + Optimism podcast, this flagship event will demonstrate how these plans can be upgraded by showcasing government and real economy leaders who are driving towards ‘positive tipping points’ across the three themes of energy, nature & food, and finance. The event is supported by the Mission 2025 Partners and convened by Groundswell – a collaboration between Global Optimism, Bezos Earth Fund and Systems Change Lab – together with the Climate Group. Registering: Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in joining this event The Climate Pledge The Climate Pledge and C40 Cities Launch Laneshift GUEST Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon LinkedIn | Twitter (X) Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2024

This week, Christiana shares her awe and admiration for the athletes at Paris’ Paralympics after being lucky enough to experience some of the games first-hand. Can these incredible athletes inspire us to think and act differently on climate change? As global barometers measure the hottest August ever recorded, the hosts talk about extreme heat and its impact on children - affecting their health, their education and even placing them at increased risk of child marriage. Tom quizzes Paul and Christiana about the events of 12th January 1882 (hint: coal-fired power stations) and celebrates the news that the UK will close its last coal-fired power station later this month. Paul meanwhile is emphatic that nations and businesses need A Plan to Decarbonise. This week, Christiana is in conversation with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert and writer. Ayana co-founded the non-profit think tank Urban Ocean Lab, co-edited the bestselling climate anthology All We Can Save, and was the co-host of the How to Save a Planet podcast. Her upcoming anthology is What If We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures. Christiana and Ayana discuss the ocean’s bounty of climate solutions; renewable offshore energy, carbon-absorbing wetlands and mangroves, and seaweeds and shellfish to feed people. GUEST Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Marine Biologist, Policy Expert, and Writer LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Website You can preorder the book, What If We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures For more information, subscribe to the What If We Get It Right? Newsletter where the new podcast will be launching! NOTES AND RESOURCES Outrage + Optimism launches its new Listening Journeys Recycled bottle tops and tables made from shuttlecocks - the greenest Olympics? BBC, July 2024 World’s warmest August completes hottest boreal summer on record, Copernicus Climate Change Service, September 2024 Summer 2024 is the hottest on record making it likely this will be the hottest year ever, Euronews, September 2024 Almost half a billion children live in areas experiencing at least twice as many extremely hot days as their grandparents, UNICEF report, August 2024 Bangladesh: IRC study reveals a staggering 39% surge in child marriage due to climate change, December 2023 Britain’s Reliance on coal-fired power set to end after 140 years, FT, September 2024 Chris Stark to lead Mission Control to deliver clean power by 2030 Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! X | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2024

Welcome back to Season 10! With the hosts together again following our break, Tom, Paul and Christiana are bursting with news and analysis. Up for discussion this week, the hosts try to understand why the Democrats haven’t been talking much about climate change and what drives Kamala Harris’ outrage and optimism. They delve deeper into the UK’s new Labour Government’s plans around energy, nature and climate change. Plus the hosts scan the horizon for the consequential moments in climate policy, with UNGA, Climate Week NYC and two COPs hurtling towards us. NOTES AND RESOURCES Outrage + Optimism, Live at Climate Week NYC Event Title: It’s Time To Unite For Mission 2025 Event Details: Tuesday 24th September, 12:00 - 13:00 ET, Glasshouse (NYC) Event Description: Mission 2025 is a coalition of courageous leaders - mayors, governors, CEOs, investors, athletes, musicians and citizens - who are inviting governments to ratchet upcoming national climate plans (known as Nationally Determined Contributions) in line with the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5C. Described as ‘Defenders of Paris’, Mission 2025 Partners arrive at Climate Week New York with a major update of new organizations who are ready to embolden governments to set more ambitious plans and accelerate implementation because they know this can unlock trillions in private investment, scale cheap renewable energy, support industries to compete in a low carbon economy, and safeguard living standards equitably for our people. As a live recorded Outrage+Optimism podcast, this flagship event will demonstrate how these plans can be upgraded by showcasing government and real economy leaders who are driving towards ‘positive tipping points’ across the three themes of energy, nature & food, and finance. The event is supported by the Mission 2025 Partners and convened by Groundswell – a collaboration between Global Optimism, Bezos Earth Fund and Systems Change Lab – together with the Climate Group. Registering: Please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in joining this event Fact check: Sea levels are already rising faster per year than Trump claims they might rise over ‘next 497 years’ CNN, June 2024 Trump’s chat with Musk on X fact-checked BBC, August 2024 Climate Concerns Dip - Monmouth University Poll, May 2024 Labour Government’s In-Tray for Climate Change, Energy and Nature Carbon Brief Summit of the Future Watch Sherman Guity win Costa Rica a Gold Medal in the Paralympics 100m Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2024

Newsflash: In an emergency podcast session recorded on Monday, July 22nd, we delve into President Biden’s announcement that he will not seek re-election. Following his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Presidential Nominee, we bring you a comprehensive analysis of this pivotal moment in U.S. politics. In this episode: Kamala Harris’s Strong Record on Climate Action: A deep dive into her achievements and policies aimed at combating climate change. President Biden’s Climate Legacy: Reflecting on the significant environmental strides made during his tenure as he enters his final six months in office. Election Speculation: Could Harris defeat Trump? Is America ready for its first Black female president? We discuss the potential outcomes and implications of this historic candidacy. Optimism for the Future: Assessing the prospects of a Harris victory and what it could mean for climate action and environmental policies. Stay Connected: Follow us on social media for updates throughout the summer. Send in your questions and topics you'd like us to cover next season. NOTES AND RESOURCES Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

In this week's Election Special Roundup, our hosts delve into Labour’s recent victory in the UK, offering detailed analysis tailored for both UK and non-UK listeners. They cover the key events and implications from both before and after the election, providing a comprehensive overview of the political landscape. Highlights: Labour’s Win in the UK: In-depth discussion on Labour's success, including the factors leading to their victory and its potential impact on the UK political scene as well as key figures in Starmer’s cabinet that will play a key role in climate going forward. UK and French Elections: Celebration of the defeat of far-right factions in both countries, examining the broader implications for European politics. US Politics: A brief look at the challenges facing the Democratic Party, especially in light of President Biden’s underwhelming performance in his recent televised debate with former President Trump. Season Finale: As we wrap up this season, we want to thank our listeners for their support. Have an amazing summer holiday, and we look forward to returning in September with more discussions on climate action, political debates, and much more. Stay Connected: Follow us on social media for updates over the summer. Send in your questions and topics you'd like us to cover next season. See You in September! NOTES AND RESOURCES Listen to the latest The Way Out Is In Episode with Christiana Figueres Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024

In our penultimate episode of the season, hosts Christiana, Tom, and Paul delve into a reflection on the year 2024 so far. This episode takes a deep dive into recent events, including London Climate Action Week, the global political landscape, and the clean energy transformation, all viewed through a climate lens. Optimistic Outlook: Christiana shares positive news about upcoming trade agreements involving Costa Rica, Switzerland, Iceland, and New Zealand, which aim to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods. Looking Ahead: The hosts speculate on what the latter half of the year might bring for climate action and global policies as we anticipate UNGA, New York Climate Week, COP 16 and COP 29 to name but a few. Upcoming Episode: We will be back for a short episode early next week, dedicated to understanding the election results in the UK and France. Farewell for Now: The hosts and the O+O team wish you a restful summer holiday. Stay connected for announcements and content on our social media channels as we take a brief break from the airwaves. Thank you for tuning in! NOTES AND RESOURCES Dawn of the Solar Age article from the Economist as mentioned by Tom Details of the trade agreement between Costa Rica, New Zealand, Iceland and Switzerland as mentioned by Christiana UK Citizen? Learn How To Vote Here French Citizen? Learn How To Vote Here Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2024

This week, we recorded live from London Climate Action Week at the Mission 2025 launch event. Tom Rivett-Carnac was joined by guests Andrew Steer (Bezos Earth Fund), Adair Turner (ETC), Isabelle Noero (Earthrise), Hein Schumacher (Unilever), Tamsin Ballard (PRI), Karen Pflug (INGKA Group) and Nigar Arpadarai (COP29 Champion). Hear their conversations about how to act on climate with speed and scale. Moving faster on tackling the climate crisis is too difficult, too unpopular or too expensive, right? Wrong! This week a new high-ambition coalition of business, mayors, investors, health leaders, athletes, youth activists, scientists and citizens was launched to call on governments to move even faster on climate action. Over 20 organisations have joined Mission 2025, to say: "We are ready to embolden governments to set more ambitious plans and accelerate implementation. We know this can unlock trillions in private investment to protect our nature, scale cheap renewable energy, support industries to compete in a low carbon economy, and safeguard living standards equitably for our people." Mission 2025 is a much needed effort to unlock the momentum needed for this transition to happen at the speed and scale required, and with the equity deserved. Because holding the line on 1.5°C is not an aspirational target – it is a scientific imperative. We hope you enjoy this lively conversation! NOTES AND RESOURCES GUESTS Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission Twitter | LinkedIn Isabella Noero, Head of Collaborative Partnerships at Earthrise Studio LinkedIn | Instagram Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever LinkedIn Tamsin Ballard, Chief Initiatives Officer at PRI Karen Pflug, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ingka Group LinkedIn | Instagram Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29 Azerbaijan LinkedIn | Twitter (X) London Climate Action Week Learn more about the Paris Agreement. It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Transcribed - Published: 29 June 2024

This week, something unique for our listeners from the podcast 'We Are The Great Turning'. As Joanna Macy approaches the end of a long life dedicated to healing our imperiled planet, she begins the conversation with Jessica Serrante, her student and dear friend, “standing afresh with what it’s like to live on Earth at this moment.” As we look into the face of the climate crisis, injustice, and war, difficult feelings arise; all are welcomed. You are invited to join them at Joanna’s kitchen table, and invited into a deeper sense of your belonging and love for our world. In this episode: How to connect with the great possibilities that still exist for us even in these precarious times Joanna reflects on her awakening of environmental consciousness Jess reflects on how meeting Joanna changed her life Love, laughter, heartbreak, and the Work That Reconnects Bonus Exercise: “Open Sentences”—a practice for partners We recommend starting a podcast club with friends or family to do these practices together. Links and assets to help prompt reflection and build community can be found with every episode on WeAreTheGreatTurning.com. Website: WeAreTheGreatTurning.com RSS feed subscription links: Apple Podcasts + Spotify

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2024