Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism. As always, we examine issues at the forefront of the climate crisis, interview change-makers, and transform our anger into productive dialogue on building a sustainable future. In this episode, co-hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson reflect on the recent downfall of British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson and what comes next for U.K. climate initiatives, with guests Ben Goldsmith, Founder of the Conservative Environment Network, and Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood, near Bristol. Despite Johnson’s decidedly mixed term as PM一including delivering on Brexit, recent Partygate blunders, and other scandals一he has kept the U.K. focused on climate and nature progress. He’s embraced Net zero by 2050, introduced ambitious goals for 2035, and supported the Conference of the Parties summit (COP26). But what do the hosts think? And, where does the U.K. go from here? With the interests of the global right generally focused on issues such as immigration, and new Tory leadership on the horizon, will climate and nature continue to be relevant to the U.K. conservative project? Guests Ben Goldsmith and Chris Skidmore weigh in on this dynamic moment.   NOTES AND RESOURCES    For more on conservative environmentalism in the U.K. and overseas visit the Conservative Environment Network.  Chris Skidmore, MP, Kingswood Learn more about the United Nation’s Net zero initiative and the COP26.  Read Chris Skidmore’s recent piece with Zac Goldsmith, ‘Ditching Net Zero would be electoral suicide for Conservatives’. “Hustings” is defined as a meeting at which candidates in an election address potential voters. To learn more about the climate emergency and how you can translate outrage into action, subscribe to the podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism. As always, we examine issues at the forefront of the climate crisis, interview change-makers, and transform our anger into productive dialogue on building a sustainable future.    In this special episode, the Outrage + Optimism crew has teamed up with the Dartington Arts School to bring you the first episode of the school’s intriguing new podcast, Arts and Ecology. The podcast explores the nexus between art, ecology, and culture and the role creatives can play in tackling the climate crisis.   In this inaugural episode, Arts and Ecology co-host Natasha Rivett-Carnac and O + O Executive Producer Sarah Thomas discuss “Our Time on Earth,” a major multimedia exhibition currently running at the Barbican in London with co-curator Caroline Till. Till is the co-founder of FRANKLINTILL, a research agency exploring design, colour, and material innovation for a sustainable future.    You’ll also hear from two teams who collaborated on exhibition pieces.  Chippindale, CEO of the award-winning digital retail agency, Holition, and George Monbiot, writer, Guardian columnist and environmental activist bring us The World Beneath Our Feet. The piece was inspired by “The Wonders of Soil,” the first chapter in Monbiot’s latest book, Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet.   Next, we hear from Anab Jain and Jon Ardern, the co-founders of Superflux, an award-winning experimental design agency creating visceral experiences that bring future possibilities into the present. Their exhibition piece, a lavish multi-species banquet, is entitled, Refuge for Resurgence.   -   Notes and Resources    To explore more about the interconnection between art, ecology, and culture, subscribe to the  Dartington Arts School’s podcast Arts and Ecology.   Natasha Rivett-Carnac, curator, Arts and Ecology, Dartington School of Arts    The exhibit Our Time on Earth, created by Caroline Till and Kate Franklin, will be at the Barbican in London from Thursday, 5 May to Monday, 29 Aug 2022.    Caroline Till is Co-Founder of FRANKLINTILL. Her book, co-written with business partner and co-curator, Kate Franklin, is Radical Matter: Rethinking Materials for a Sustainable Future and can be purchased here or in the US, here.   Jonathan Chippindale, is CEO of Holition.    You can get George Monbiot’s latest book, Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet, here. Or in the US, here.   Anab Jain and John Arden are co-founders of Superflux.   You can listen to Jain and Arden’s piece, Window View, accompanying their exhibition piece, Refuge for Resurgence, here. To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.   -   Thank you to our amazing guests this week!   Dartington Arts School Website | Twitter | Instagram   Caroline Till Designer | Co-Curator of Our Time on Earth Website | Instagram   Barbican - ‘Our Time on Earth’ Website | Twitter | Instagram   Jonathan Chippindale (Holition) Website | Instagram | Twitter    George Monbiot Twitter   Anab Jain and Jon Arden (Superflux) Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, our hosts Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson sit down for an exclusive interview with Paul Simpson as he exits his role as CEO of CDP after co-founding the organization over 20 years ago. CDP began in a basement with a few committed individuals to bring about a livable future through the disclosing of environmental data from companies around the globe. While it may have had humble beginnings from a small basement office and only a few employees in 2000, today CDP reports directly on current disclosures that cover over 13,000 companies covering around 64% of global market capitalization. So as Paul Simpson wraps up his last few hours on the job, we look back into the roller coaster ride of how CDP discovered that disclosure of information was a latent power that existed in the world, and how they transformed it into a positive force moving both business and government towards a Paris-Aligned trajectory. And of course it’s just not our podcast without some amazing music, so this week we have the rootsy band Our Man In The Field with an intimate performance of their single, ‘Thin (I Used To Be Bullet Proof)’.   Enjoy the show!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Paul Simpson!   Paul Simpson Twitter | LinkedIn   CDP Twitter | Website   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Our Man In The Field!   Our Man In The Field Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud | BandCamp   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ESG is in hot water - Is it just simmering or is it spoiling? When Elon Musk tweets “ESG is a scam” that “has been weaponized by phony social justice warriors.” and a day later, an HSBC executive says that “climate change isn’t a financial risk that we need to worry about,” and then after that Former Vice President Mike Pence writes an opinion in WSJ that “ESG is elevating left-wing goals over the interests of businesses and their employees”...You start to wonder - What is all this fuss about? And why now? This week we dig into the future or collapse of ESG as we know it, and is all this attention making ESG better or worse? And later on in the episode Bill McKibben returns to the podcast to talk about his latest venture mobilizing ‘The Greatest Generation’ to take action on Climate Change call Third Act - and his new book, ‘The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at His Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened. What a title! And of course, be sure to stick around for an exclusive podcast performance of ‘Leaving Song’ by Max Jury.   Enjoy the show!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   READ: Could Google’s Carbon Emissions Have Effectively Doubled Overnight? READ: The Carbon Bankroll ACT: ShareAction ACT: Make My Money Matter   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Bill McKibben!   Bill McKibben Founder | Third Act | 350.org Twitter   Third Act Twitter | Website | Linktree   350.org Twitter | Facebook | Instagram   NEW: Bill’s New Book - The Flag, The Cross, and The Station Wagon   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Max Jury!   Max Jury Spotify | Apple Music | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Website   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet is the title of George Monbiot’s new book and an essential challenge that we explore in this Future of Food episode, with the help of George and three other guests committed to transforming our food system. As the current global food crisis continues to push more and more people to the brink of starvation, join us as we take a deep dive into the root causes of the crisis. Surface with a diverse and exciting range of solutions that could ensure we have a ‘glocal’ diverse food system, and a paradigm shift in the way we produce protein that regenerates our planet and feeds our population.    Our four contributors to this episode are: George Monbiot, celebrated author, activist and environmentalist; Dr Laura Pereira, Associate Professor at the Global Change Institute at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and a researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University in Sweden; Dr Ruchika Singh, Director of Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration at the WRI or World Resources Institute in India; and Josh Tetrick, Co-Founder and CEO of  Eat Just Inc.  You can find their short biographies and links to their work and media platforms below.    All of our guests were incredible, but a special acknowledgement goes to Ruchika who recorded her interview during the middle of a heat wave in India. It should bring home to us all how climate change is already severely affecting particular regions right now.    A huge thanks as ever to The Ikea Foundation for supporting us with the making of this episode. Please check out their wonderful work using the links below:  Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode: George’s mentions: Solar Foods the precision fermentation company mentioned by George Monbiot who are making food from thin air.  Definitely one to watch!  The Land Institute - Perennial Crops  - the initiative mentioned by George Monbiot Tolhurst Organic - The Oxfordshire Farmer doing incredible things with soil mentioned by George Monbiot Laura’s Mentions Scaling Out, Scaling Up, Scaling Deep  by Michelle Moore.  You can read up to 100 articles per month for free on this site if you register.   Ruchika’s Mentions The Land Accelerator | World Resources Institute TerraFund for AFR100 —   Thank you to our guests this week:   George Monbiot, Author, Environmentalist and Activist (photo credit Guy Reece) George Monbiot is an author, Guardian columnist and environmental activist. His best-selling books include Feral: Rewilding the land, sea and human life, Heat: how to stop the planet burning, and Out of the Wreckage: a new politics for an age of crisis. George cowrote the concept album Breaking the Spell of Loneliness with musician Ewan McLennan, and has made a number of viral videos. One of them, adapted from his 2013 TED Talk, How Wolves Change Rivers, has been viewed on YouTube over 40m times. Another, on Natural Climate Solutions, that he co-presented with Greta Thunberg, has been watched over 60m times.  George’s latest book, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet, was published in May 2022.   Website | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok   Dr Laura Pereira, Associate Professor at the Global Change Institute at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and a researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University in Sweden Dr Laura Pereira is a member of the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes project and leads two current projects, the first is a Formas funded project entitled “Seeding transformative futures for people and nature in Africa ” and the other is an H2020 project in collaboration with EAT called “Foodtrails”. She also works with Guillermo Ortuño Crespo on a small project to realise transformative scenarios for the high seas using the Nature Futures Framework. Pereira co-ordinates the SRC’s module of the Bosch Stiftung Transformational Leadership Post-doc Academy. She is also actively involved in MSc student supervision and gives a lecture on sustainability transformations as part of the MSc course. Pereira holds a DPhil in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Oxford. She completed her BSc (Hons) majoring in Zoology, Ecology and Law at the University of the Witwatersrand and read for an MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Policy at St Hilda’s College, Oxford. Twitter   Dr Ruchika Singh, Director - Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration, WRI India Dr. Ruchika Singh leads the Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration programme in India. Till January 2019, Ruchika anchored the restoration opportunity assessments for the Landscape Restoration programme at WRI India. Ruchika brings over eighteen years of extensive experience of conducting evidence-based research, programme management, assessments and evaluations related to various aspects of forest, water, tenure, resource rights, landscape management and governance issues, taking into consideration social inclusion and gender, from an interdisciplinary lens. Ruchika also contributes to Cities4Forests, an initiative focused on helping cities better conserve, manage, and restore inner forests (such as city trees and urban parks), nearby forests (such as green corridors and watersheds) and faraway forests (such as tropical and boreal forests). Ruchika works closely with Kochi (India) to help them maximize benefits from trees and forests for water, air quality, biodiversity, climate, livelihoods and more. WRI India LinkedIn  | Twitter | Facebook |  Instagram   Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO, Eat Just, Inc. Josh Tetrick is CEO & co-founder of Eat Just, Inc., a food technology company with a mission to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable food system in our lifetimes. The company's expertise, from functionalizing plant proteins to culturing animal cells, is powered by a world-class team of scientists and chefs spanning more than a dozen research disciplines. Eat Just created America’s fastest-growing egg brand, which is made entirely of plants, and the world’s first-to-market meat made from animal cells instead of slaughtered livestock. Prior to founding Eat Just, Tetrick led a United Nations business initiative in Kenya and worked for both former President Clinton and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. As Fulbright Scholar, Tetrick taught schoolchildren in Nigeria and South Africa and is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan Law School. Tetrick has been named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc.’s “35 Under 35” and Fortune’s “40 Under 40.” Eat Just has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies,” Entrepreneur’s “100 Brilliant Companies,” CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” and a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. GOOD Meat                            Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram                    JUST Egg Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram — Big thanks to the talented team at Airaphon who helped edit and mixed this show for us this week. Check them out: Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Website —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists are reporting that there is now more carbon dioxide in the air than ever before, and with OPEC recently agreeing to accelerate oil production following pressure from the Biden administration to stabilize global markets, what gives? And with cracks showing in the EU as energy prices start to bite, is there a way through this crisis that keeps us on track with the goals of the Paris Agreement? Our guest this week has her own solution. We speak to Tzeporah Berman about her journey to form the big and bold Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and what the impact is of the Stockholm 50+ President’s communique calling for a phase out of coal, oil and gas. And stick around ‘til the end for some amazing feel good music this week - ‘No Te Rindas’ by Charmant Mushaga!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   WATCH: Tzeporah’s TED Talk - The Bad Math of the Fossil Fuel Industry   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Tzeporah Berman!   Tzeporah Berman Twitter | Instagram | Facebook    Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty  Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Charmant Mushaga!   Charmant Mushaga Facebook | Twitter | YouTube   WATCH: ‘All Year Summer’ - Live performance WATCH: Solo Nylon Acoustic Live Performance READ: Charmant Mushaga: The refugee who has found stardom in Uganda   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, a special bonus episode in your feed from British model, actress, climate activist and podcaster, Lily Cole. In this episode of ‘Who Cares Wins’, Host Lily Cole interviews Christiana Figueres on how to maintain daily optimism, why more women in leadership will deliver a better world, and how systemic change and a livable future can begin with me and you.   Enjoy the episode!   Click Here to listen to more episodes of ‘Who Cares Wins’   Who Cares Wins with Lily Cole Apple Podcasts | Spotify   —   Lily Cole Instagram | Facebook | Website   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reactions to the now infamous presentation of the suspended HSBC Head of Responsible Investing, Stuart Kirk, is still a source of considerable outrage here at Outrage + Optimism.  Kirk’s presentation entitled "Why investors need not worry about climate risk" peddled such dangerous climate disinformation that it prompted Christiana to refer to it in her brilliant op-ed in Investor Week as one of the most irresponsible public statements we have heard in years. In this week’s episode brace yourself for Paul’s no holds barred account of what he really thinks about Stuart Kirk’s views and hear Christiana expand on why opinions like Kirk’s threaten the emergence of stakeholder capitalism. Tom’s insightful analysis further links the growing movement of incumbents rallying against ‘woke capitalism’ with the corporate disclosure of emissions and climate risk that is about to be regulated in the US and the EU.   Thankfully our main interview this week features a previous, much loved, Outrage + Optimism guest Rebecca Solnit, and the inspirational Thelma Young Lutunatabua whose Not Too Late project offers us the tools to tackle this current wave of disinformation, and provides tangible stories of hope. Hear how the project aims to invite newcomers to the climate movement, as well as providing climate facts and encouragement for people who are already engaged but weary.  Listening to these two incredible women speak about Not Too Late ‘rang a bell of truth in our souls’ as Thelma so beautifully puts it in the interview.   Sit back and be sure to enjoy the remarkable track Preacher Man by Mica Millar.   Enjoy the show!   — Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!  — Not Too Late Make sure to visit the Not To Late project launched by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua Website | Facebook | Twitter   — Mentioned links from the episode:   Not So Moral Money?  -  link to the Business Green article Christiana mentions in the episode that deunks Stuart Kirk's presentation.     On Being podcast episode with Tarana Burke speaking about the need for ‘revolutionary grace’ mentioned by Thelma.  —   A HUGE thank you to Adam, James and the team at Airaphon this week for editing this week’s podcast while Clay is away! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Website   — Thank you to our musical guest this week, Mica Millar! Mica Millar Website |Facebook |Instagram |YouTube |Tik Tok |Twitter — Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally, some optimism for future generations! First, in Australia, the massive success of the so-called ‘teal’ female candidates, who are not aligned to either of the major political parties, but have essentially swept to power across a number of states. This, along with long-awaited Labour victories…Does this mean the climate wars are over in Australia? We dialed up Dean Bialek, lead negotiator and legal advisor to the world’s island states (AOSIS) in negotiations that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and current Head of Policy & International Strategy at CWP Global, to give us a quick update on what this major swing in Australian politics means for climate! And for our main interview this week, we sit down with Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Her role is linked to the Welsh Government’s 2015 Wellbeing and Future Generations Act, which requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions. Described by the Big Issue Magazine as one of the UK’s leading Changemakers, her interventions have secured fundamental changes to land use planning policy, major transport schemes and Government policy on housing - ensuring that decisions taken today are fit for the future, and especially future generations in Wales. And this week a special Outrage + Optimism EXCLUSIVE performance, 'Quémalo' by Kathy Palma (ft. Reyli Barba).   Enjoy the show!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   READ: The Welsh Government’s 2015 Wellbeing and Future Generations Act LISTEN: Repsonse to Listener Review - 4 O+O Episodes on Food Systems   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Sophie Howe!   Sophie Howe Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Twitter | LinkedIn   The Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn   —   And thank you to Dean Bialek for joining us!   Dr Dean Bialek Head, Policy & International Strategy CWP Global Twitter | LinkedIn   CWP Global  Website |  LinkedIn   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Kathy Palma!   Kathy Palma Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Tidal | Instagram | Facebook | Website   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we talk about the impacts of living through a global energy crisis while living through a climate crisis. Inflation is running at 10% in most major economies, the highest in decades. This is driven primarily by the cost of food and energy. And while most of us are aware of higher prices at the pump and on energy bills, today we focus on the hardest place it is hitting: Africa. Since 2019, 4% of Africans have lost access to affordable energy, undoing a decade of gains.  And with a desire in the Global North to get off of Russian Gas, there is higher demand for gas, and therefore pushing more and more people out of the ability to afford it. This week in response, African Ministers made the case for expanding gas production in Africa, amidst a climate crisis. So that’s the setup for this week’s discussion - we bring in Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University to argue the case on how to move forward out of this complicated situation. And be sure to stick around ‘til the end for a brand new tune from Carmody titled, “Mother.”   Enjoy the show!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   READ: Vanessa Nakate’s Op-Ed in Aljazeera READ: SG António Guterres’ 5 Point Plan on Renewable Energy VOTE: Time is running out to vote! Go to EnvironmentalMusicPrize.com to vote for your favorite 3 songs. Voting ends May 22nd!   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Rachel Kyte!   Rachel Kyte Dean | The Fletcher School at Tufts University Twitter   The Fletcher School at Tufts University Twitter | Website   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Carmody!   Carmody Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify   LIVE: Go see Carmody @ Amazing Grace in London on May 31st!   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online Instagram | Twitter   Tom Rivett-Carnac Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   Paul Dickinson LinkedIn | Twitter   —   Follow @OutrageOptimism 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.