Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

This week, something different. An exclusive interview with Shell CEO, Ben van Beurden. In May 2021, the District Court in The Hague delivered its landmark ruling in the climate change case filed against Royal Dutch Shell (“Shell”). In her ruling on the case, Judge Larisa Alwin ordered Shell to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels. The court found that Shell’s existing carbon mitigation strategy was “not concrete and is full of conditions ... that's not enough.” The court also ruled that Shell is responsible for emissions from its customers and suppliers, known as scope 3 emissions, and further that Shell’s activities constituted a threat to the “right to life” and “undisturbed family life,” as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. So, what next? Pending an appeal to the case, how is Shell going to follow the court ruling to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030? We sit down with Ben van Beurden, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell Plc to discuss what the decisive decade looks like for oil and gas majors.   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Catch up on our Race To Zero Series so that you’re ready for next week’s episode!   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Ben van Beurden.   Ben van Beurden Chief Executive Officer, Royal Dutch Shell Plc LinkedIn   Shell Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn You can read Ben’s response to the Dutch Court Ruling here on LinkedIn.   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Volume 3 of The Stubborn Optimist’s Playlist!   Every week on the podcast we feature a musical artist who is thoughtful about the role of art and artists in the climate crisis and this week, we bring you a collection of those artists in playlist form as an extended listening experience.   Enjoy the music!   ___ The Stubborn Optimist’s Playlist Vol. 3:   (1:28) Aaron Frazer - Bad News Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify   (5:17) Alfred Nomad - Speaking   (6:10) Alfred Nomad - Justice Spotify | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook   (8:50) Mel Chante - Air Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Youtube   (11:56) Asher Monroe - Speaking   (12:35) Asher Monroe - Midnight Masquerade Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website   (15:53) Milky Chance - We Didn’t Make It To The Moon Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube   (19:20) Guster - Satellite Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website   (23:52) Marie Spaemann - Circles Instagram | Facebook | Website | YouTube   (29:42) Vivii - Speaking   (31:11) Vivii - One Day Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud   (35:03) Eliza Shaddad - Blossom Our musical guest this week is Eliza Shaddad! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube   (38:15) Easy Wanderlings - Dream To Keep Us Going Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Website   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   —   Keep up with Christiana Figueres here: Instagram | Twitter   —   Tom Rivett-Carnac: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn   —   Paul Dickinson is on LinkedIn! LinkedIn   —   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.

This week, a live recording of our event “Breaking Boundaries, Post Growth & The Future We Choose” with special guests Johan Rockström and Tim Jackson. A little bit about our guests: Johan Rockström is the Director of Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research & Author of Breaking Boundaries, which is both a book and a powerful Netflix documentary. Tim Jackson is the Director of The Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity at the University of Surrey and has recently issued his latest book, Post Growth. Join us for a sobering, gripping, and stubbornly optimistic conversation about the most decisive decade in human history. How can we change the stories we tell ourselves, to engage, inspire and empower people toward climate action? Hit play and listen in!   __   Book Links:   The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide To The Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres & Tom Rivett-Carnac Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet by Johan Rockström & Owen Gaffney Post Growth: Life After Capitalism by Tim Jackson   __   To take meaningful steps to protect what you love from the worst damages of climate change, and to join the Guiness World Record attempt this month, check out the Count Us In Campaign, and decide if we can count you in!   Christiana, Johan and Tim have all been honoured as Hillary Laureates. Tap in to learn more about the work of the Hillary Institute.   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Thank you to our guests this week, Johan Rockström & Tim Jackson!   Johan Rockström Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) Twitter   PIK Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn   Tim Jackson Author, Director of Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP)  Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Website   CUSP Twitter   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we take a look at the latest pledges to arise from the G7 heads of government, who met over the weekend in Cornwall. Are these announcements indicative that the seven biggest western economies are really showing up to achieve a 1.5 world? Can this close the Gigatons gap in the run up to COP26? Can the Group of Seven offer developing countries funding alternatives to Beijing’s so-called 'Belt and Road' Initiative? Christiana, Tom, and Paul help us sort out this mixed bag of a weekend for climate. Our special guest this week is Warren East, CEO of Rolls-Royce, an engineer by training and now leading a business in one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise: Aviation. Aviation accounts for a significant 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions today, and growing. As the sector starts to recover from huge losses as a result of the pandemic, how does Rolls-Royce see the future for the sector and beyond the pandemic and into the climate crisis? We’ll hear from Warren on how the historic innovation of Rolls-Royce has the potential to lead us into a cleaner, more sustainable future of flight. And stick around 'til the end because our music this week is from Asher Monroe! He’ll be performing live for us his single, ‘Midnight Masquerade’. Thanks for joining us!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Attention Stubborn Optimists! Click this link to save your spot for our Breaking Boundaries LIVE Event happening this Monday, June 21st. Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix!   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Warren East!   Warren East Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce   Rolls-Royce Twitter | LinkedIn   Join Rolls-Royce’s newsletter to get updates on their world record attempt.   __   Our artist this week is Asher Monroe! Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website   Clay recommends you check out his Youtube Channel See his conversation with Sir Elton John on Apple Music about his upcoming album.   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the G7 Summit happening in just a few days, things are looking good for it being a big moment for climate. Foreign Ministers have noted the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable, Health Ministers have made the link between health and the environment, Finance Ministers have supported mandating climate related disclosures...the momentum is real. But we’ve been here before with the same words and no action, so what is different this time around? Later on in the episode we speak with serial climate entrepreneur, Dale Vince. Dale is a tireless force of nature. So far he’s founded a successful Green Energy company, Ecotricity; he’s Chairman of Forest Green Rovers, the world’s first all vegan, carbon neutral football team; and his company Skydiamond makes precious gems from carbon capture. We hear what underlies Dale's motivation and how his determined, stubborn optimism has made his ventures successful in demonstrating what we can still do to solve challenges posed by the climate crisis. And...is there a possible future for him in politics? And finally, we hear a stirring spoken word piece titled, “Air” by Mel Chanté. Thanks for joining us!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix. Do it! Sign up for our newsletter to be informed on the details for our upcoming Breaking Boundaries LIVE Event!   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Dale Vince!   Dale Vince Environmentalist and Businessman | Founder of Ecotricity | Chairman of Forest Green Rovers Twitter | Instagram | Facebook   Ecotricity Twitter | Instagram | Facebook   Forest Green Rovers Twitter | Instagram | Facebook   __   Our artist this week is Mel Chanté! Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Youtube   Subscribe to her podcast, “The Daily Shine” Check out her latest EP, “FLO”   —    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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a bonus! Our own Christiana Figueres spoke at the Net Zero Pensions Summit, hosted by Richard Curtis, the famous filmmaker and co-founder of Make My Money Matter, an organization elevating the voices of citizens to demand that pension funds invest in line with the values of their members. In this episode you’ll hear from: Richard Curtis Filmmaker | Co-Founder of Make My Money Matter   Alok Sharma MP COP26 President Designate   Mary Robinson Chair of The Elders | Former President of Ireland | Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights   Amina Mohammed Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations   Nigel Topping High-Level Climate Action Champion for COP26   Mark Carney UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance   This bonus episode gives you a flavour of the Net Zero Pensions Summit, and we hope it will propel you to take a step and logging it on CountUsIn.org.   Enjoy!   —   As an individual, join the movement demanding Net Zero Pensions here: https://makemymoneymatter.co.uk/net-zero/   If you can represent a business, be a Net Zero Hero and please sign the Green Pensions Charter here: https://makemymoneymatter.co.uk/charter/   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   —   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.

This week, we talk about the absolute shake up of a week Big Oil had, and a Music Climate Revolution that starts TODAY.  First up, a shareholder vote to add three new members to the Exxon board succeeded as part of a strategy by activist hedge fund Engine No. 1 to address the twin concerns of climate change and Exxon’s poor financial performance. One of the new board members is our good friend, Andy Karsner! He joins us at the top of the episode for a quick update on what these seats at the table mean for the Oil and Gas industry moving forward, but especially for humanity and the climate. Second, the unprecedented ruling by a Dutch Court which ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45 percent from 2019 levels by 2030 happened. To give us an incredibly exciting executive summary is Lead Campaigner of the case against Shell, Friend of The Earth’s Nine de Pater. And finally for our main interview, we are joined by Co-Founder and Co-Director of Reverb, Adam Gardner, who is also the vocalist and guitarist of the band, Guster.. From intention to action, he expresses the work that Reverb has been doing over the last 18 years to disrupt industry norms and increase the climate positive impact of the music touring industry. Acknowledging the unprecedented influence and reach that musicians have at their disposal, Adam, the newest stubborn optimist recruit, explains how environmentalism can be united with fans’ passion to drive positive change and achieve meaningful environmental, social justice and community gains. And this week for music, we have the privilege of spinning the famous “Satellite” by Guster. Join us, won’t you?   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now! Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Watch the Trailer for Breaking Boundaries on YouTube Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Adam Gardner! Adam Gardner Co-Founder and Co-Director of Reverb | Vocalist and Guitarist for Guster    Reverb Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram __   A special thank you to Andy Karsner and Nine de Pater   Alexander “Andy” Karsner Board of Directors | ExxonMobil Twitter Nine de Pater Lead Campaigner | Friends of The Earth Twitter   __   Our musical guest this week is Guster! Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website   Get your tickets to Guster: On The Rocks   This is Clay’s favorite Guster Song: “One Man Wrecking Machine”   —   Check out the song by Moondog that Paul mentioned: Enough About Human Rights   —    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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the back of the IEA report last week that shook the oil and gas industry, the G7 this week pledged not only to limit global warming to 1.5C, but to stop all new financing for overseas coal projects by the end of this year! An absolute breakthrough for the climate. We get into the geopolitics behind the G7 announcement and what it’s going to take to close the remaining 20+ GtCO2 gap left even after China and the US NDCs. And our guest this week is championing and informing the policy behind climate and racial justice in the United States and beyond. After striking every Friday for 58 weeks in a row outside of the White House as part of the ‘School Strike for Climate’ movement, On March 29th 2021, Jerome Foster II was appointed the youngest ever member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. We talk with him about how young people are experiencing and meeting the massive social and political changes happening, and hear more about his vision for bringing about justice through US climate policy. Stick around to the end of the episode for a live performance of “Justice” from Alfred Nomad!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Watch the Trailer for Breaking Boundaries on YouTube Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Jerome Foster II!   Jerome Foster II Environmental Justice Advisory Council Member to the White House | Climate Justice Activist | Founder and Executive Director of One Million Of Us, Climate Reporter Twitter | Facebook | Instagram  | LinkedIn   Check out his organization One Million of Us Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube   You need to watch Jerome in this piece by Initiative29 on Hulu   __   Our musical guest this week is Alfred Nomad! Spotify | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook   Tap through to donate to the “Everything Will Be Alright” Initiative   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show we discuss the latest IEA Report, “Net Zero by 2050” which charts a path for the energy sector to achieve a 1.5 degree world, and specifically naming the 400 milestones that will get us there. It’s an incredible marker in this decisive decade because the IEA is the gold standard for energy policy around the globe (particularly for Oil and Gas), and in this report they explicitly detail the urgent and irreversible need for a rapid and comprehensive shift away from fossil fuels. And later on, an O+O first. We get into the connection between national security and climate change with our special guest, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. With his extensive career history, notably serving twice as Prime Minister of Norway and as UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, he has uniquely straddled both worlds of environmentalism and national security. We unpack how SG Stoltenberg views a military response to the climate crisis as NATO fulfilling it’s duty to secure today and tomorrow for its citizens. Stick around to the end this week for a catchy tune from Milky Chance.  Join us!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Watch the Trailer for Breaking Boundaries on YouTube Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Jens Stoltenberg!   Jens Stoltenberg Secretary General of NATO Twitter | Facebook | Instagram   NATO  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin   __   Our musical guest this week is Milky Chance! Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube   Catch Milky Chance on Tour   “Stolen Dance” Music Video   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the Nature Agenda. A forest the size of France has regrown since 2000 and The Biden administration introduced its “America the Beautiful” plan. In it, they plan to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s land and water by 2030, calling it the country’s first-ever national conservation goal. Long overdue, but on the table.   Speaking of nature, later in the episode we discuss the role philanthropy can play in accelerating innovative actions and radical collaboration across movements to meet the impact of the climate crisis with the requisite attention. ‘A Fund for the Earth’ as it were.   We invite Dr. Andrew Steer, formerly President and CEO of the World Resources Institute, and as of April 2021, the CEO and President of the Bezos Earth Fund, to talk us through the opportunities and challenges ahead for philanthropy as we begin to make the systemic transition to a green economy.  We ask how he will be looking to spend his whopping $10 Billion (with a B) budget to secure the SDGs by 2030 and create the biggest impact to accelerate various sectors towards their positive tipping points.   And an absolute smash this week in music from Marie Spaemann. Listen in!   —   Christiana + Tom’s book ‘The Future We Choose’ is available now!   Subscribe to our Climate Action Newsletter: Signals Amidst The Noise   __   Watch the Trailer for Breaking Boundaries Watch Breaking Boundaries on Netflix   __   Thank you to our guest this week, Andrew Steer!   Andrew Steer President & CEO, Bezos Earth Fund Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn    __   Our musical guest this week is Marie Spaemann! Instagram | Facebook | Website | YouTube   Stream and buy her music!   Tap in to watch the live performance of ‘Oscar’s Dream’   —   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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.