Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

Cities are where we will lose or win the climate change battle. Chapter 8 of the IPCC report on mitigation reported that more than half of the global population now lives in cities, and that proportion is expected to grow to about two-thirds by 2050. That is a lot of people. And that’s a lot of emissions. As of 2020, urban areas are the source of about 67-72% of emissions with about 100 of the highest emitting urban areas [currently] accounting for approximately 18% of the global carbon footprint.” But with problems like urban heat, growing disparities in income and access to food and healthcare, how are mayors uniquely empowered to adapt to everything a climate emergency brings with it? This week, we have the Mayor of London and Chair of C40, Sadiq Khan. He shares his personal journey with being diagnosed with Adult-Onset Asthma after breathing in too much pollution in London, and how educating the public and bringing people along with you in your leadership is the way forward to cleaner, greener cities. And this week a special sample of Environmental Music Prize finalist, Holy Holy with their song ‘Hello My Beautiful World’   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:   LEARN: CDP Cities, States and Regions Open Data Portal VOTE: Environmental Music Prize   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Sadiq Khan!   Sadiq Khan Mayor of London | Chair of C40 Cities Twitter | Instagram   Mayor of London Twitter | Instagram   C40 Cities Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Holy Holy!   Holy Holy Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube   Time is running out to vote! Go to EnvironmentalMusicPrize.com to make sure your vote counts!   —   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.

Does Putin’s invasion mark the end of the Fossil Fuel Era? In this week’s episode we look at how the Russian invasion in Ukraine and subsequent energy crises are impacting energy deals between developed and developing countries ahead of COP27. We also subject our guest, Kingsmill Bond of RMI, to a round of Paul’s new painfully-condescending evil oil baron persona as we put his optimistic assertions on the green energy transition to the test. And be sure to stay tuned until after the interview for a brand new song with main-character energy titled, ‘End Transmission’ from Stelios Vassaloudis.   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   READ: How Putin’s War Marks the End of the Fossil Fuel Era LISTEN: The Climate Change and Happiness Podcast READ: ‘Generation Dread’ by Brit Wray   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Kingsmill Bond!   Kingsmill Bond Senior Principal | RMI Twitter | LinkedIn   RMI Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Stelios Vassiloudis!   Stelios Vassiloudis Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website   WATCH: All Else Fails Album Visuals Playlist   —   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.

What on Earth is happening in the US on climate policy? This week, a look at US federal climate policy ahead of the US midterm elections. We explore the scarily-small-and-measured-in-weeks amount of time we have to pass meaningful climate legislation before the US midterm elections, and where the optimism is in Senate blocked legislation, a so-called ‘Conservative’ leaning Supreme Court, and a Presidential Administration dealing with fossil fuel addiction issues - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and high prices at the pump. So, with the help of the NRDC’s Manish Bapna, we discuss whether it is still possible to squeeze through an acceptable climate package that would put The States back on track to achieve their net-zero goals, AND why his outrage fuels his optimism in the  midst  of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Plus! Stick around after the interview for the room shaking track ‘My Mama’ by musical guest, Dizraeli.   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   NEWS: India’s Heatwave is about to get worse READ: ‘The Ministry For The Future’ by Kim Stanley Robinson REST: Resources for Dealing with Climate Anxiety DAME: Christiana Figueres is Now A Dame   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Manish Bapna!   Manish Bapna | President & CEO | Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Twitter | LinkedIn   NRDC Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   —   Thank you to our musical guest this week, Dizraeli!   Dizraeli Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website   TOUR: Dizraeli is coming to a city near you! WATCH: See for yourself how Dizraeli is touring sustainably   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia is turning up the volume on environmentalism for the world to hear! If you turned on your favorite music radio station, would you know we’re in a crisis? Only 1% of songs in National Australian premier radio station Triple J’s Hottest 100 (2.5M+ votes) over the last 5 years directly referenced environmental issues…and that’s following mass bleaching of The Great Barrier Reef, The devastating Australian Bushfires of 2019-2020, AND a recent study before COP26 that reported 75% of Australians are concerned about climate change. So why is Australian mainstream music so culturally disconnected from a population overwhelmingly environmentalist? We know artists, bands, and musicians have been and are currently creating environmentally-minded music, so how do we get those songs into the mainstream? Our guest today, Edwina Floch, recently launched The Environmental Music Prize - A new $AU 20,000 prize that amplifies the voices of artists who inspire action for climate and conservation. The prize launched during the UN Climate Summit, and it's a global first and a call-to-action for artists to create and submit powerful music videos that celebrate nature and encourage us to defend it. Every movement needs anthems. The search is on! Enjoy the show and stick around to hear some amazing music from music artists Montaigne, In Hearts Wake, Little Green, Billy Otto, and King Stingray!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   WATCH: All the Music Videos by the finalists for The Environmental Music Prize! VOTE: Vote for your favorite Environmental Music Prize finalists! DONATE: Keep The Environmental Music Prize going! LEARN: Learn more about The Environmental Music Prize!   —   Thanks to our guest this week, Edwina Floch!   Edwina Floch Founder | Environmental Music Prize LinkedIn   Environmental Music Prize  Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website   —   A massive thank you to all our musical guests this week:   Montaigne Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube WATCH: ‘Ready’ Music Video (feat. School Strike For Climate Activist Fergus Clarkson)   In Hearts Wake Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | EMP Profile   Little Green Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | EMP Profile   Billy Otto Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | EMP Profile   King Stingray Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | EMP Profile   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As many around the world turn inward this week, we bring you a special episode featuring Christiana Figueres from ‘The Way Out Is In’ podcast. Many of us are looking for a way out of the crises we face. Climate, biodiversity, ecological, nature, health, wealth inequality…not to mention the deeply personal, familial, and interpersonal. A quick log in to twitter, checking the news, or reading the latest IPCC report reveals to us that we are on a path towards breakdown. We know there is a pathway out of this ‘atlas of human suffering’ as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently said, but how do we chart that path? This week, we suggest that the way out of suffering is in it. Today we are sharing an episode from ‘The Way Out Is In’ podcast, produced by Plum Village, the Buddhist Monastery founded by the Late Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh and his teachings were a vital support to Christiana in the lead up to the Paris Agreement and beyond.  In this episode, you’ll hear co-hosts Jo Confino and Brother Pháp Hữu invite Christiana on to share deeply about what brought her to Plum Village, both now and years ago during her first encounter with Thich Nhat Hanh; her journey to a spiritual practice that helped her overcome a personal crisis, and the transformative power of practices such as ‘deep listening’ and ‘interbeing’ on the negotiation process of The Paris Agreement. So get comfortable, settle in, and join us for a special listen to Episode #21 of ‘The Way Out Is In’ - Being the Change We Want to See in the World: A Conversation with Christiana Figueres [Content warning: This episode includes mentions of suicidal thoughts at 00:25:00 for approximately two minutes – listeners who could find this discussion distressing may wish to skip this section.]   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Links from the episode:   Next ‘The Way Out Is In’ Recommended Episodes To Listen To: War And Peace (Ukraine) Zen and The Art of Saving The Planet Wise Leadership w/ Lindsay Levin WATCH: ‘A Cloud Never Dies’ on YouTube READ: ‘Zen and The Art of Saving the Planet’ by Thich Nhat Hanh DOWNLOAD: The Plum Village App   —   A special thanks this week to Plum Village!   Brother Phap Huu Abbot | Upper Hamlet in Plum Village Co-Host | The Way Out Is In Instagram   Jo Confino Co-Host | The Way Out Is In Instagram   Plum Village Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube   Plum Village App Twitter | YouTube | Instagram   Thich Nhat Hanh Twitter | Foundation   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - MLK (1963)   This week, we reject our flawed, siloed thinking and embrace the oneness of social justice and environmentalism as a singular, inclusive movement. In the Summer of 2020, our guest, Leah Thomas, coined the term “Intersectional Environmentalism” with a graphic she shared to Instagram that read, “Environmentalists For Black Lives Matter” as a call out to all environmentalists to stand in solidarity with BIPOC communities that face compounding social and environmental injustices daily. The Instagram post went viral, and the pledge she introduced along with it, The IE Pledge, has reached over a million people.  And so now that it’s 2022 and counting, how can we continue to root ourselves in that moment of clarity in 2020 and hold to the truth that you don’t have to separate race or racial justice from environmental advocacy? How can we scale climate solutions while advocating for marginalized communities all the while not making excuses for extractive industries? We’re also joined this week by special co-host Abigael Kima, a young energy expert and climate activist from Kenya .She is the producer and host of the new Hali-Hewa (Swahili for ‘Climate Change’) podcast, which will profile African activists and climate experts airing through to COP27 on themes including a just energy transition, loss and damage, youth participation in intergovernmental processes and indigenous rights. And —- Stick around for 3-Time GRAMMY Award Winning Artist Fantastic Negrito performing a live version of his song, “Rolling Through California”! 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:   ACT: Take the Intersectional Environmentalist Pledge LISTEN: IE’s Brand New Podcast ‘The Joy Report’ READ: MAPS (Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary) WATCH: How Black Lives Matter and Environmental Justice Are Connected READ: The NAP Ministry   — Thanks to our guest this week, Leah Thomas!   Leah Thomas Founder | Intersectional Environmentalist Twitter | Instagram    Intersectional Environmentalist Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Patreon   BUY: The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas   —   Thank you to our Co-Host this week, Abigael Kima!   Abigael Kima Host and Producer | Hali Hewa Podcast  Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook    Hali Hewa Podcast  Website   —   Our musical guest this week is Fantastic Negrito!   Fantastic Negrito Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | TikTok   WATCH: ‘Highest Bidder’ READ: New Film + Album “White Jesus Black Problems” coming June 3rd    —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World’s scientists have come together on behalf of the web of life to deliver the most comprehensive review of how we can mitigate the effects of climate change.  So what’s in this latest IPCC report? The latest from Working Group III covers a broad spectrum of topics: from mitigation pathways and in-depth sectoral analysis to finance, international cooperation, net-zero and carbon dioxide removal… Let’s simplify that - Mitigation. This report lays out how we’re going to mitigate the effects of climate change. Because make no mistake, climate change is here and gaining speed. It’s up to us to listen to the scientists and follow their guidance to slow it down. So, here to guide us through this new report is Ko Barrett, Vice Chair, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and Senior Advisor for Climate, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Ko is widely recognized as an expert on climate policy, particularly on issues related to climate impacts and strategies to help society adapt to a changing world. Not only was she one of the first women elected to serve as a vice chair of the IPCC in 2015, but she oversaw this latest report, gracefully and skillfully convening the global scientific consensus on this crucial report on Climate Change. An incredible achievement. This report informs business leaders, policy makers, activists, influencers, artists…everybody. Listen in to hear what makes this report unique, how to avoid doomism on climate, and what it’s going to take to get to a livable future.   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   READ: WG3 AR6 IPCC Report   — Thanks to our guest this week, Ko Barrett!   Ko Barrett Vice Chair | IPCC Senior Advisor for Climate | NOAA Twitter   IPCC Twitter | Instagram | Facebook   NOAA Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you get when you swap the office for a classroom and our hosts for school pupils? An incredibly special episode, we hope you’ll agree. Yes, that’s right – this week’s conversation is brought to you from Totnes Progressive School, where the children were joined by an extraordinary guest: Dr Jane Goodall DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and United Nations Messenger of Peace. With the support of Outrage + Optimism’s Tom Rivett-Carnac and his sister Bee, who together wrote and illustrated a children’s book voiced by Dr Goodall, the pupils take it in turns to ask about their guest’s experiences, work, and thoughts on the future. From Dr Goodall’s memories of her own childhood to reflections on what children now can do to help in healing our planet, this is a moving lens on a remarkable life spanning nearly nine decades. Dr Goodall shares lessons from her mother about working hard and not giving up on dreams, as well as how together we can – and will – change the world. We hope you find this conversation as inspirational as we do. — Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter! —  Mentioned links from the episode: READ: When We All Stopped LISTEN: When We All Stopped narrated by Dr Jane Goodall  — Thank you to our amazing guest this week, Dr Jane Goodall DBE! Jane Goodall Institute UK: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Roots & Shoots UK: Facebook  — Keep up with Christiana Figueres 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years in the Global North, our dialogue around climate change has been focused on the idea that it is a looming disaster with consequences that would happen in the future if we did not take immediate action. The recent years of extreme weather events where we saw flooding in Germany and London and heat waves and storms across Europe and the United States, brought the reality home that climate change was happening NOW. But for those living in Africa and the Global South, this ‘looming disaster’ has been a reality for decades. While the devastation, droughts, famines, wars over life-sustaining resources and refugee crises that climate change has caused might not make the headlines in the Global North the way Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has, the impacts of climate change on these frontline communities is nonetheless devastating and requires attention and action NOW. Which is why this week we invited one of the incredible female voices from the frontline of the climate crisis in Uganda, Vanessa Nakate, an activist and founder of the Rise Up! Movement, onto the O+O podcast so we could share her concerns and action points first hand with our listeners. In this intimate, in-depth interview with Christiana, Vanessa shares her journey from Ugandan school girl to world renowned climate activist. She tells us about her passion for gender equality and why she believes it is synonymous with bringing the climate crisis to justice, and why Loss and Damage must stay on the agenda for COP27, touted by many as The African COP. Keep your ears open because Vanessa gives a clear call to action to any listeners who want to help African activists get their voices heard during COP 27.  Vanessa asks that businesses, organizations and individuals consider supporting African activists either through providing accreditation for COP27 or through funding. If you can help please reach out via social media to Vanessa directly or via the Rise UP Movement’s website. And stick around until the end of the episode to hear the soul-stirring Ugandan musical artist Afrie perform her single, “Let Her Know”. 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:   DONATE: Vanessa’s Solar and Stove Project ACT: Fridays For Future’s 4 Digital Strike Actions WATCH: Vanessa Nakate asks Global North Ministers the “Thumbs Up” Question READ: A 10-Point Plan to Reduce the European Union’s Reliance on Russian Natural Gas READ: Christiana pens an alternative ending to ‘Don’t Look Up’ for Netflix   — Thanks to our guest this week, Vanessa Nakate!   Vanessa Nakate Climate Justice Activist | Founder of Rise Up Movement Twitter | Instagram   Rise Up Movement Twitter | Instagram | Website   BUY THE BOOK: A Bigger Picture by Vanessa Nakate   —   Our musical guest this week is Afrie!   Afrie Instagram | YouTube | Website | YouTube   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online: 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the news from Ukraine unfolds quickly, detailing the tragedy Ukrainian citizens are living through, our hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson cut straight to the roots of what is fueling this conflict - Our global addiction to fossil fuels.    What is our response as a global community to this crisis and many other current violent crises when many will argue climate action isn’t affordable and we should ramp up independent oil and gas production? Will we gather ourselves around the moral clarity that we need to end the violence by breaking our addiction once and for all?   Because our addiction is fueling the conflict we are watching our neighbors and our neighbor’s children suffer. It’s time to quit. —     Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter!   —   Mentioned links from the episode:   WATCH: Ukraine Video Showing Mock Footage of Paris Air Attacks   READ: China, Russia Agree to 30-Year Gas Deal via New Pipeline   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres online 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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.