Outrage + Optimism

Apr 06, 2023

01:15:26

With Tom away this week, tune in to hear Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson discuss announcements from the World Bank, the spring G7 meeting in Japan and Paul’s mini scoop into the issue of UK internal flights, as well as their fantastic interview with celebrated author Jon Alexander and his widely acclaimed book: “Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us”

We are also excited to share details of how you can join Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Fiona McRaith and Paul Dickinson for a live online Q&A recording of Outrage + Optimism on Wednesday 19, 2023 @ 4.30pm BST / 11.30am EST. During this live Q&A session we will be taking questions resulting from Tom and Fiona’s mini series: Momentum vs Perfection. Please follow this link to register your place.

We will be taking a short break next week so please take time to revisit the mini-series here.

And we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Wednesday 19 April!

Enjoy the episode!

NOTES AND RESOURCES

O+O Live Q&A: Join Us - April 19, 2023 @ 4.30pm BST / 11.30am EST

Register to join us for our live online Q&A episode of Outrage + Optimism and put your question to our hosts, please click on this link and follow the instructions.

Rachel Kyte article mentioned by Christiana here

Jon Alexander

Twitter | LinkedIn

MUSIC

Banditos

Instagram | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Be sure to spin and buy their latest record ‘Right On’!

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Learn more about the Paris Agreement.

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Mar 30, 2023

01:04:22

Join Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson this week on Outrage + Optimism as they discuss how best to counter the doom and disinformation in the wake of the recent IPCC synthesis report.

Our special guest this week is Pete Betts, the much loved and highly respected civil servant with over 10 years as Director International climate and energy in the UK Government. Despite receiving a terminal diagnosis, Pete continues to dedicate his time and effort to climate change, specifically highlighting those who stand to suffer the most from its effects are kept in the forefront of decision makers minds as we attempt to face the challenges of climate change.

Pete shares that the two most important questions we believe we should all ask ourselves: “Are you surrounded by people you love and that love you? And did you make a difference?”

How would you respond?

NOTES AND RESOURCES

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Learn more about the Paris Agreement.

Pete Betts

look-future-forward-doc-series-debut-2023.html#main-navigation"> The Climate Pledge Future Forward

The Climate Pledge | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

MUSIC

Aisha Badru

Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music

Be sure to check out the official lyric video for ‘Path of Least Resistance’ on YouTube. It’s trippy and beautiful.

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Mar 23, 2023

01:23:59

Welcome back to part two of the mini-series Momentum vs Perfection!

This week Tom Rivett-Carnac and Fiona McRaith deepen their exploration of the tensions in the climate movement outlined in episode one, and look to see how we might begin to move past the current impasse to accelerate action in this decisive decade.

Journey with Tom, Fiona and their guests as they seek to answer the burning questions that they hope might unlock a trajectory to collaborative, joyful action. Some of these questions include:

Is a rebuilding of trust and understanding among the different actors key?
What part does the ‘moveable middle’ play on the spectrum of momentum and perfection.
How do we ensure inclusivity and engagement of those whose voices are not currently represented in the wider movement?
How do these divisions present in the corporate world where the sense of urgency is well embedded but transition to action is hesitant?
What role can impartial actors and data play in pushing forward the momentum and perfection agendas?
Can the capitalist spirit ever be used as a force to accelerate change as long as it is rooted in good intention?
Is connection and personal relationships key to building the sense of common purpose and approach we need now?

Helping Tom and Fiona to answer these questions is an incredible line-up of guest speakers:

Justin Forsyth, Co-Founder us-in.com/">Count Us In, a radical collaboration of business, faith, sport, and civil society to inspire a billion people to take climate action.
Farhana Yamin, Lawyer/Author/Activist & Keynote Speaker. Farhana is an internationally recognized environmental lawyer, climate change and development policy expert. She works part time at the Doc Society coordinating the Climate Reframe Project which seeks to amplify the voice of climate activists and experts from racialized minorities in the UK environment movement.
Peter Bakker, President & CEO WBCSD, the global CEO-led community of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working collectively to accelerate the system transformations needed for a net zero, nature positive, and equitable future.
Sister True Dedication, Zen Buddhist monastic teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village Community
Prof Helen Pankhurst CBE. CARE International, MMU, UOS. Senior Advisor at international humanitarian agency international.org/">CARE International, women’s rights activist, and the direct descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders in the suffragette movement

NOTES AND RESOURCES

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Learn more about the Paris Agreement.

Fiona McRaith, Manager, Engagement & Delivery and Special Assistant to the President & CEO, Bezos Earth Fund

LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Justin Forsyth

LinkedIn | Twitter us-in.com/">Count Us In

Twitter | Instagram

Farhana Yamin

LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Peter Bakker

WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Sister True Dedication

Twitter | Instagram

Plum Village

LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Helen Pankhurst, women’s rights activist and Senior Advisor, international.org/">CARE International

international.org/">CARE International

Twitter | YouTube

Learn more about Pankhursts’s great-grandmother Emmeline Pankhurst and grandmother Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders in the suffragette movement.

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Click Here to see the full show notes for this episode

Mar 16, 2023

01:28:47

Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism, where we examine issues at the forefront of the climate crisis, interview change-makers, and transform our anger into productive dialogue about building a sustainable future.

This week Tom Rivett-Carnac introduces the first of his two-part series on Momentum vs Perfection by looking at the different theories of change within the climate movement and asking if and how they can co-exist to drive the level of scale and action needed in this decisive decade.

He is joined on this complex and emotive journey by guest co-host Fiona McRaith, Manager of Engagement & Delivery and Special Assistant to the President & CEO at climate philanthropy fund Bezos Earth Fund. Fiona brings a (significantly younger) Gen Z perspective to this thought-provoking discussion.

Our co-hosts speak with a series of esteemed guests on this timely and important question, including:

Helen Pankhurst, Senior Advisor at international humanitarian agency international.org/">CARE International, women’s rights activist, and the direct descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders in the suffragette movement
Author, educator, environmentalist, and Co-Founder of international environmental organization 350.org, Bill McKibben
Environmental activist and Co-Founder of global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion, Gail Bradbrook
Jerome Foster II, Co-founder of Waic Up and youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Director of mission-driven consulting firm Reos Partners, Adam Kahane
Previous Director of Strategy for the Cabinet Office for COP 26 (the United Nations’ annual climate conference) Charles (Charlie) Ogilvie

Don’t miss Part One of this incredible and timely conversation, including insights from previous movements, generational collaboration, the value of civil disobedience, the role of data and measurement, and whether agreement between sides is necessary for advancement.

And be sure to look out for the final episode of this mini-series next week, in which our co-hosts, with the help of their guests, will hopefully draw some conclusions to help guide us in these crucial years.

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Mar 09, 2023

00:54:09

This week, co-hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson interrupt their previously scheduled programming一the launch of the O+O miniseries discussed last week一to celebrate International Women’s Day (recognized annually on March 8) with CEO & Leadership Activist Fabian Dattner. The team also covers big news about our oceans’ future and closes with music from Child Seat.

Tom starts with the news that after nearly 20 years, members of the United Nations have finally agreed on the United Nations High Seas Treaty, an international framework to protect biodiversity in international waters. It’s a massive achievement that protects the migratory routes of some of our most iconic species and demonstrates significant multilateral cooperation.

Oh, and negotiations were led by Rena Lee, Singapore’s Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues and Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs一another great reason to celebrate International Women’s Day.

On a related note, Christiana references a disturbing statistic from a report prepared by GWL Voices for Change and Inclusion, an advocacy group of 62 current and former senior women leaders, that women have held just 12% of top positions at 33 of the largest multilateral institutions since 1945. Clearly, we still have a ways to go in the pursuit of gender equality.

Next, the trio welcomes CEO & Leadership Activist and the founder of the global leadership consultancy the Dattner Group, Fabian Dattner. The group discusses Dattner’s work at the nexus of leadership, support for women, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). While it may sound like an unconventional combination, Dattner explains how it all came together一initially in a dream一and later in her Homeward Bound initiative. It is, our co-hosts agree, an unassailable mix of what our world desperately needs and could use more of.

Later, Dattner brings up her trip to Antarctica and how the concept of success is as dangerous as the concept of failure. For many women, Dattner explains, success can be framed as an elusive ideal. She counsels that if you aren’t willing to fail, there’s nothing you can achieve because success is mostly a string of failures. These are just some of the topics from the group’s lively exchange!

Finally, the episode closes with the track “Burning” from indie rock powerhouse Child Seat.

You won’t want to miss this one!

NOTES AND RESOURCES

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Find out more about the United Nations High Seas Treaty.

Download the report from GWL, Numbers Matter: To Fix the multilateral system start by including women.

Fabian Dattner

Learn More about the Dattner Group, the Compass Leadership Program for Women, and Homeward Bound.

Here’s the 20023 Edelman Annual Trust Barometer referenced in the episode.

MUSIC

Child Seat

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Mar 06, 2023

00:51:58

Welcome listeners as as we start the week with a special bonus episode from the wonderful folks at Conscious Coliving who recently hosted Tom Rivett-Carnac on their brilliant podcast Coliving Conversations, a show that shines light on the people, projects, and places of the blossoming coliving movement!

In this episode, join co-hosts Naima Ritter Figueres and Dr Penny Clark for an insightful conversation with Tom Rivett-Carnac where together they explore the role of communities in addressing the climate emergency. Enjoy!

Mar 02, 2023

00:47:43

This week, co-hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson discuss the amazing reviews they’ve received on the podcast and take the opportunity to thank listeners for participating with us in trying to save our planet. The team also announces an upcoming special project they’ve been working on and chats about the nomination of Ajay Banga as World Bank President. A frightening new study on the accelerating rates of extinction is also discussed, and there’s music from Bailen.

Paul starts with highlights from the results of a listener feedback survey. First, a whopping 87% of respondents said they’d taken action on climate change since listening to the podcast, which includes sharing the podcast一a key part of our mission一and for which we’re deeply grateful. Plus, only 43% of those listening work in the climate space. That means we’re breaking out of the climate bubble and bringing people outside of climate into the conversation. “Astonishing!” declares Christiana. Wait until you hear the rest!

Next, Tom introduces a fresh theme on O+O related to personal projects each of the co-hosts will work on individually and bring to the podcast. Over the next few weeks, Tom will begin the series on different approaches to change一momentum and perfection. He’ll explore whether they can work together, and if so, how? Exciting stuff is on the way!

In the following segment, our co-hosts weigh in on the World Bank presidential nomination of Ajay Banga, previously President and CEO of MasterCard. They agree he’s a hopeful choice for, among many other things, bringing climate issues back to the World Bank, which stands in contrast to the positions held by outgoing president David Malpass, a climate denier.

Finally, the trio discusses the alarming new study by lead author Dr. Yuangeng Huang of the China University of Geosciences on the steady destruction of biodiversity and how it’s likely to suddenly tip over into total ecosystem collapse. All agree the study didn’t get the coverage it should have, and that it’s critical we’re focused now on strategies and capital allocations to protect and reverse habitat destruction. Climate won’t matter if this doesn’t get done.

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully to our listeners’ survey and to help us improve the podcast.

And before you leave please don’t miss the beautiful three-part family harmonies of Bailen on their moving ballad “Eyelashes.”

Correction: We would like to apologise for the mispronunciation of Dr Yuangeng Huang's name during the episode.

NOTES AND RESOURCES

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Find out more about Ajay Banga, the U.S. nomination to lead the World Bank.

Here is The Guardian’s coverage of Dr. Yuangeng Huang’s study on ecosystem collapse.

Here is Dr. Yuangeng Huang’s study itself.

More on Elizabeth Kolbert’s The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History referenced in the episode.

GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE on FRIDAY MARCH 3 - Click here to find a strike near you. #TomorrowIsTooLate

MUSIC

Bailen

Click here to Pre-add/Pre-Save ‘Tired Hearts’ coming out May 5th!

See Bailen on Tour

Check out Clay’s Picks this week:

‘Call It Like It Is’

‘Something Tells Me’

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Feb 23, 2023

01:00:20

In this episode, co-hosts Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson interview climate leaders Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of global issues think tank the Club of Rome (the Club), and potsdam.de/members/johanro">Johan Rockström, Joint Director of the potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Potsdam).

Our esteemed guests discuss the 50th anniversary of the Club’s groundbreaking report on the implications of continued worldwide expansion, “Limits to Growth” (Limits), and their recently published collaborative report “Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity (Earth For All).”

Serving as both a sort of update to “Limits,” and a new solutions manual, “Earth For All” goes deep into the interrelationships between global stress points, the consequential scenarios that could lay ahead of us, and the policy recommendations we need to save our future.

It’s a fascinating conversation that covers planetary boundary science, dynamic systems modeling, the social tension index, and whether we can reach aspirational and equitable goals for humanity within our environmental boundaries. Importantly, we explore whether a planetary solution is possible without addressing systemic inequity.

Of course, be sure to stick around for music this week from brand new father/son duo Emrys + Clay.

Don’t miss a minute of this compelling episode!

NOTES AND RESOURCES

To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.

Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome

Explore The Club of Rome and the original landmark report (including a free download), “Limits to Growth.” An updated version is available here.

potsdam.de/members/johanro">Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Twitter

Listen to a previous episode featuring Rockström about the race to zero.

Learn about the potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Twitter

Read more or get your own copy of “Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity.”

MUSIC

Emrys + Clay

You can find more of Clay and Emrys on Clay’s Patreon.

Clay has played in bands before. They are:

Claslan | Flint Eastwood

Clay Carnill

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Feb 19, 2023

00:21:26

This week in a surprise move, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, announced her resignation. So in light of this profoundly ego-less moment of leadership, we revisit a stirring conversation we had with her in 2021 when we visited the First Minister at her residence in Edinburgh during the TED Countdown Conference.

Our conversation surrounded this new vision she had brought forth into the world for small countries collaborating on climate action, detailed in the instantly-popular TED Talk she had just delivered earlier that day (immediately followed by a standing ovation). Tom said, “it was one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

This interview is part of a longer episode we published in 2021 titled, ‘Small Countries, Big Vision with Nicola Sturgeon’. You can listen to that full episode and more by visiting the Outrage + Optimism website or by finding us wherever you get your podcasts.

Enjoy the Rewind.

—

NOTES AND RESOURCES

Nicola Sturgeon | First Minister of Scotland

Twitter

Watch Nicola Sturgeon’s TED Talk referenced in the episode, followed by a short Q+A.

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