Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

James Thornton is the CEO and founder of ClientEarth, a leading environmental law organisation in Europe. Since its establishment in 2007, ClientEarth tackled world’s most pressing environmental issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and toxic chemicals using advocacy, litigation and research. ClientEarth now operates globally with offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, New York and Beijing.  Before this, he was a Senior Lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in Los Angeles for 9 years. His role involved setting up the citizens' enforcement project specifically working on the Clean Water Act under the Reagan Administration. In 6 months he successfully won 60 cases in federal courts.  Named by the New Statesman as one of the top 10 people who could change the world and one of the top 100 lawyers practising in the UK, James is at the forefront of utilising the legal system and advocacy to create real climate action. In 2016, The Financial Times awarded him its Special Achievement Award at the Innovative Lawyer Awards.James Thornton is a Zen Bhuddist and started a meditation organisation for environmental activists called Positive Futures. James was born in New York and studied at Yale University Further reading:Wikipedia page:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James\_Thornton (environmentalist)  ClientEarth launches major climate change movement (April 2021)https://shots.net/news/view/clientearth-launches-major-climate-change-movement  A Conversation With James Thornton, Founder of ClientEarth – One of the World’s Most Ambitious Environmental Organisations (December 2020)https://thoughteconomics.com/james-thornton/  Michael Liebreich: Climate Lawsuits – An Existential Risk to Fossil Fuel Firms? (September 2019)https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-climate-lawsuits-existential-risk-fossil-fuel-firms/

Nigel Topping was appointed UK High Level Champion for Climate Action in January 2020. His role involves bringing together different stakeholders in the #racetozero. His vision is to create a bigger role for non-state actors within the climate conversation, which he successfully managed in the Paris Agreements.  Between 2015 and 2019 Nigel was the CEO of We Mean Business, a coalition of businesses working to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon economy. He has also held leadership positions at CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) for 7 years.  Before focusing on climate action, he worked in the private sector for over 20 years in manufacturing and supply chain. His career has taken him all over the world, including emerging economies like Brazil, India, and China.  Nigel holds a BA in Mathematics from Cambridge University and an MSc in Holistic Science from Schumacher College. Further reading:Nigel Topping’s Official Biohttps://unfccc.int/climate-action/marrakech-partnership/actors/meet-the-championsNigel Topping appointed UK High Level Climate Action Champion (January 2020)https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nigel-topping-appointed-uk-high-level-climate-action-championWe need to green the economy while restarting it – Nigel Topping’s Ted Talk (June 2020)https://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_topping_we_need_to_green_the_economy_while_restarting_itHow to turn climate ambitions into reality: Q&A with Nigel Topping (January 2021)https://news.mongabay.com/2021/01/how-to-turn-climate-ambitions-into-reality-qa-with-nigel-topping/Race to Zero Campaignhttps://racetozero.unfccc.int/

Thomas Nowak is the Secretary General of the European Heat Pump Association  - he’s an expert on heating and electricity. Thomas is a man who walks the talk – he’s a proud owner of a heat pump and a solar power plant.In 2006, Thomas Nowak was appointed as the Secretary General of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA). His role in Brussels involves promoting heat pump technology as a viable and efficient tool for the future. EHPA achieves this goal by producing reports with key data as well as representing the industry to the European institutions and stakeholders.As an expert in the industry, Thomas has presented his research in articles and conferences in international and European conferences. They have largely been about the integration of heat pumps in the energy market. Moreover, he has contributed to the IEA energy technology perspectives and the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report.  Thomas holds a degree in business administration and economics from Paderborn University. Further reading Official Biohttps://www.ehpa.org/about/team/brussels-secretariat/thomas-nowak/ DecarbHeat – an European Initiative for Decarbonisation of the Heating (November 2017) https://heatpumpingtechnologies.org/publications/decarbheat-an-european-initiative-for-decarbonisation-of-the-heating/ Heat pumps only for new buildings? (January 2020) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/heat-pumps-only-new-buildings-thomas-nowak/Cooling demand is increasing? So what! (June 2019)https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cooling-demand-increasing-so-what-thomas-nowak/White Paper Heat Pumps https://www.ehpa.org/fileadmin/user\_upload/White\_Paper\_Heat\_pumps.pdf

Further reading: Official Bio https://www.ituc-csi.org/sharan-burrow-6329?lang=en How to fix a broken labour market (March 2021) https://www.top1000funds.com/2021/03/how-to-fix-a-broken-labour-market/As the World Economic Forum convenes this week will people and their environment be centre stage? (January 2021)https://sharanburrow.medium.com/as-the-world-economic-forum-convenes-this-week-will-people-and-their-environment-be-centre-stage-80ee39612d96Summary of the debate between Max Roser and Jason Hickel (December 2019) https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/2/12/18215534/bill-gates-global-poverty-chartThe ILO Centenary Declaration https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed\_norm/@relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms\_711674.pdf

Naoko Ishii is a professor, executive vice president and Director of the Center for Global Commons at the University of Tokyo since August 2020. The Center for Global Commons has the mission of putting academia at the forefront of achieving sustainable developmentFrom 2012 to 2020, Dr Naoko Ishii was CEO and chair of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The GEF is a grant providing organisation with a focus on environmental initiatives. She played a key role in producing the organisation’s first long-term and mid-term strategies. During her time in office, she managed to secure more than $4 billion in funding for the GEF.  Naoko Ishii was Deputy Vice Minister of Finance from 2010 to 2012, - after a long career in finance – both domestic and international: she spent a large part of her career at the World Bank (Country Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives between 2006 and 2010, program coordinator for Vietnam between 1997 2001) and the International Monetary Fund.Naoko Ishi holds a BA in economics and a PhD in international development, both from the University of Tokyo.  She is the author of a number of papers and award-winning books – she received the Suntory Prize in 1990 and Okita Memorial Prize for International Development Research in 2004. She is the recipient of the 2006 Enjoji Jiro Memorial Prize. Further reading:Center for Global Commons https://ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/units/cgc/Report on the pilot version of the Global Commons Stewardship Indexhttps://www.tokyoforum.tc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/report_list.htmlNaoko Ishii’s Ted Talk: An economic case for protecting the planet (September 2017)https://www.ted.com/talks/naoko_ishii_an_economic_case_for_protecting_the_planetThe University of Tokyo is reminding the world to save our planet (March 2021)https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/the-university-of-tokyo-is-reminding-the-world-to-save-our-planetPositive Analysis for Long-Term Economic Development, Nikkei Publishing Inc. (2003)https://www.fasid.or.jp/english/okita_memorial_prize/

It’s a first here on Cleaning Up, our very own debate special. Today we will be joined by Ben Goldsmith and Gareth Wyn-Jones to discuss farming and agricultural policy. Please welcome them both, and wish them both luck!  Bio – Ben Goldsmith  Ben Goldsmith is the chief executive officer of Menhaden Capital, an investment trust focusing on efficient use of energy and resources. He is also a Trustee of The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Chair of the UK Conservative Environment Network’s Board. Moreover, he is involved in the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a non-executive director.  Bio – Gareth Wyn Jones  Gareth Wyn Jones is a sheep farmer from Tyn Llwyfan in North Wales. His farm has been with his family for over 370 years. Known as the ‘tweeting farmer’, Gareth uses media (both social and traditional) as an educational tool to show the public the life of a farmer. He has appeared on the BBC numerous times including on Countryfile as well as The Hill Farm, Farmer and the Food Chain, and Milkman.  Links - Ben GoldsmithTime to rewild the Highlands - Ben Goldsmith - Reform Scotland (March 2021)https://reformscotland.com/2021/03/time-to-rewild-the-highlands-ben-goldsmith/Leaving the EU's destructive Common Agricultural Policy enables an unprecedented win for nature in post-Brexit Britain (December, 2020)https://reaction.life/leaving-the-eu-cap-is-an-unprecedented-win-for-nature-in-post-brexit-britain/  Ben Goldsmith comes clean: lies, rewilding and the death of daughter Iris | Magazine | The Times (October 2020)https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ben-goldsmith-comes-clean-lies-rewilding-and-the-death-of-daughter-iris-97hcpz7l7Embrace wilder farming to restore nature on a grand scale (June 2020)https://reaction.life/embrace-wilder-farming-and-regenerate-britains-environment/  'It may feel like Armageddon, but there are environmental silver linings': Ben Goldsmith on Covid-19 (April 2020)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/wellness/may-feel-like-armageddon-environmental-silver-linings-ben-goldsmith/  Interview: Ben Goldsmith on rewilding, wild swimming and ‘hustling on behalf of nature’  https://www.endsreport.com/article/1695406/interview-ben-goldsmith-rewilding-wild-swimming-hustling-behalf-nature  Links – Gareth Wyn JonesThe Family Farm – BBChttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1rbcMX2vXKkvqZQR21tpLVr/gareth-wyn-jones  The Hill Farm Episode 1  https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL3pl6F0\_t8dERa506qTGA8y3kj3TGO9E1&v=\_njeqJinkvY&feature=youtu.beFarmer and The Food Chainhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pl6F0\_t8dHFtYtaznR2YDNZdY7qRWKqThe Hill Farmer – a book by Gareth Wyn Joneshttps://www.abebooks.co.uk/9781784610067/Hill-Farmer-Gareth-Wyn-Jones-1784610062/plp

Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007 and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute, joins Michael Liebreich for the first episode of Season 3.  Tony Blair was the UK Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007 and is now the Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2016 with staff of 200 spread over more than 20 countries. The Institute’s mission is to ‘to equip leaders with what they need to build effective Governance and deliver open, inclusive and prosperous societies in a globalised world’.  Since establishing the Institute, Tony Blair devotes ‘at least 80% of his time’ to running it. The Institute’s efforts are focused on improving governance in a number of African states and also supporting electrification on the continent via its ‘Power Africa’ programme. Recently, the Institute has done extensive work on COVID-19 response – from the role of digital technology to vaccination plans.  Tony Blair’s time in office saw a growth of importance of energy and climate change: in 2003 Energy White Paper was published, calling for creating low carbon economy and developing renewable energy sources in the UK. In 2006, the Stern Review, a study commissioned by the government was made public –the  first comprehensive attempt to compare costs of mitigating climate change to no action scenario. In 2007 the Climate Change Act, a landmark legislation requiring the UK to cut its emission by 80% by 2050 was put forward.  Tony Blair was an MP for Sedgefield for 24 years, between 1983 and 2007. He became the Leader of the Opposition in 1994 and won three consecutive elections in 1997, 2002 and 2005 – the only Labour leader to achieve that. He was also the longest serving Labour PM. After he stepped down as PM, Tony Blair became the Middle East envoy for the United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia. He worked with a number of companies as an advisor and keynote speaker.   Further reading:Official Bio  https://institute.global/tony-blair  Blair says collaboration on Covid could have cut three months off crisis (March 2021)  https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/26/blair-says-collaboration-on-covid-could-have-cut-three-months-off-crisis  Treat pandemic preparedness as a national security issue (March 2021)  https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/pandemic-preparedness-national-security-issue-former-uk-pm-tony-blair/  Why Vaccine Passports Are ‘Inevitable,’ Explained By Tony Blair (February 2021)  https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2021/02/13/why-vaccine-passports-are-inevitable-explained-by-tony-blair/  Tony Blair Insititute for Global Change  https://institute.global/  A Journey: My Political Life – Tony Blair’s Autobiography  https://www.amazon.com/Journey-My-Political-Life/dp/0307390632

Teresa Ribera, Deputy Prime Minister in the Spanish government and the Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, is joining us this week on Cleaning Up. She has played a key role in Spain’s low-carbon transition and is a vocal advocate of a green COVID-19 recovery.  Bio  Since 2018 Teresa Ribera is a Deputy Prime Minister in the Spanish Government and the Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. In her role, she has advocated reorienting the Spanish economy towards green tech, put in place a €220m deal to get coal off the grid as well as negotiating a nuclear phase-out.  From 2008 to 2011 she held the position of Secretary of State for Climate Change and Biodiversity in the second administration of Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.  Between her two ministerial stints in government, Teresa was the Director of the Paris-based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations. In that capacity, she focused on influencing the negotiations towards the Paris Climate Agreement.  From 2004 to 2008 she served as Director-General of the Office of Climate Change, and prior to that, Teresa worked closely with different ministries in the Spanish government including Environment, Public Works, and Transportation.  Teresa studied law at the Complutense University of Madrid and constitutional law with political science at the Center for Constitutional Studies. Following her studies, she worked as an assistant professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. She was featured in Politico’s ‘Class of 2021’ annual ranking of the most powerful people in Europe. In 2018 she received Climate Reality Project Award in the category of 'Public Personality'. Further reading:Bio  https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/gobierno/Paginas/130120-teresariberarodrig.aspx  Energy pact divides EU as Spain threatens walkout (February 2021)  https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-split-over-energy-charter-treaty-as-spain-floats-unilateral-withdrawal/  European Green Deal must be central to a resilient recovery after Covid-19 (April 2020)  https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/04/09/european-green-deal-must-central-resilient-recovery-covid-19/  Spain’s socialists win the election with Green New Deal Platform (April 2019)  https://www.climatechangenews.com/2019/04/29/spains-socialists-win-election-green-new-deal-platform/  European Green Deal must be central to a resilient recovery after Covid-19 (April 2020)  https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/04/09/european-green-deal-must-central-resilient-recovery-covid-19/  Declaration from AT, DK, ES, LU, PT on the adoption of the ‘Manifesto for the development of a European “Hydrogen Technologies and Systems” value chain’  https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/Declaration-AT-DK-ES-LU-PT-manifesto-IPCEI-hydrogen\_clean2.pdf  Liebreich: Climate and Finance – Lessons from a Time Machine (March 2021)  https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-climate-and-finance-lessons-from-a-time-machine/?fbclid=IwAR1AlzXo4r7zA8v7v5D1XyydcFlU8ueu4h63fuQy1ZU5CvIFqISa2O44KNY

Further reading:Official biohttps://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/j.skeaIPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 ºChttps://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/  EEA COVID Debate No. 7 - COVID-19 and climate change (December 2020)https://www.youtube.com/watchv=SuXQdmjlmGA&list=PL1\_QSyumTz7Am38J5tXamPEWUhb5szB3Z&index=7Jim interviewed by BBC for ‘Climate change: Technology no silver bullet, experts tell PM’ (October 2020)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54662615IPCC Working Group 3https://www.ipcc.ch/working-group/wg3/Centre for Environmental Policyhttps://www.imperial.ac.uk/environmental-policy/research/  Climate Wars Episode IV: a New Hope for the 2020s? (17 December 2019) https://about.bnef.com/blog/in-climate-wars-episode-4-the-2020s-will-bring-new-hope/RCP8.5 is Bollox - but for how much longer? (27 March 2021)https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rcp85-bollox-how-much-longer-michael-liebreich/Climate Tipping Points https://climatetippingpoints.info/