218 episodes

Face the climate crisis head on, but understand that we have the power to solve this. From former UN Chief Christiana Figueres and the team who brought you the Paris Agreement, this podcast about issues and politics will inform you, inspire you and help you realize that this is the most exciting time in history to be alive.

Outrage + Optimism Global Optimism

    • News
    • 4.7 • 387 Ratings

Face the climate crisis head on, but understand that we have the power to solve this. From former UN Chief Christiana Figueres and the team who brought you the Paris Agreement, this podcast about issues and politics will inform you, inspire you and help you realize that this is the most exciting time in history to be alive.

    Lifelines VS Deadlines: The Need For Science Based Policy (Part Two)

    Lifelines VS Deadlines: The Need For Science Based Policy (Part Two)

    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.
    Last week Paul Dickinson, Dylan Tanner and our guests explored some of the good, the bad, and the downright dark side of government action on climate policy, or perhaps that should be inaction.
    This week, with the help of co-host Fiona Macklin, part two of Lifelines vs Deadlines will go beyond the politics and speak to industry and city leaders, lawyers and youth activists on the need for collective support around regulatory lifelines if the deadlines, climate science has set for us are to be met.

    Expert guests including:
    Mark Watts, Executive Director at C40 Cities
    Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
    Paul Polman, Business leader, campaigner and co-author of ‘Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take’
    Georgina Beasley, Secretary General at Net Zero Lawyers Alliance
    Joshua Amponsem, Founder, Green Africa Youth Organization and Co-Director - Youth Climate Justice Fund
    Shyla Raghav, Co-Founder, Chief Portfolio and Partnership Officer at TIME CO2
    Dr Ellen Quigley, Special Adviser (Responsible Investment) to the Chief Financial Officer and Principal Research Associate (Climate Risk & Sustainable Finance) at University of Cambridge

    Please don’t forget to let us know what you think here, and / or by contacting us on our social media channels or via the website.


    NOTES AND RESOURCES


    Paul Dickinson, Founder Chair at CDP
    LinkedIn

    Fiona Macklin, Senior Adviser, Groundswell at Global Optimism LinkedIn

    Dylan Tanner, Executive Director at InfluenceMap
    Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Mark Watt, Executive Director at C40 Cities
    Twitter | Instagram

    Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
    Twitter

    Energy Transitions Commission
    Twitter | LinkedIn

    Paul Polman, Business leader, campaigner and co-author of ‘Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take’
    Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Georgina Beasley, Secretary General at Net Zero Lawyers Alliance
    LinkedIn
    Net Zero Lawyers Alliance
    LinkedIn

    Joshua Amponsem, Founder, Green Africa Youth Organization and Co-Director - Youth Climate Justice Fund
    Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

    Shyla Raghav, Co-Founder, Chief Portfolio and Partnership Officer at TIME CO2
    Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
    TIME and TIME CO2
    Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Dr Ellen Quigley, Special Adviser (Responsible Investment) to the Chief Financial Officer and Principal Research Associate (Climate Risk & Sustainable Finance) at University of Cambridge
    LinkedIn
    Paper: Universal Ownership in Practice: A Practical Investment Framework for Asset Owners
    Paper: Universal Ownership and the Polycrisis: Social Norms, Feedback Loops, and the Double HermeneuticCredits:
    Series Producer: Catherine Harte
    Exec Producer: Sarah Thomas
    Producer/Sound Design/Editor: Clay Carnill
    Production Coordinator: Mandy Clark
    Social Media Manager: Kam-Mei Chak
    Communications Manager: Zoe Tcholak-Antitch
    Operations Manager: Katie Bradford

    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!

    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective

    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 1 hr 14 min
    Lifelines VS Deadlines: The Need For Science Based Policy (Part One)

    Lifelines VS Deadlines: The Need For Science Based Policy (Part One)

    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 Paul Dickinson introduces the first of his two-part series on Lifelines vs Deadlines: The Need for Science Based Policy by delving into some of the big, underlying and often nefarious causes currently blocking the implementation of meaningful science-based policy which would accelerate our collective transition to a net zero world.

    Paul kicks off the episode by outlining the enormity of the net zero target that businesses have set themselves in line with scientific targets and expresses his belief (which is share by many) that these goals are not achievable without meaningful government policy to derisk, regulate, set a level playing field and penalise persistent offenders.

    Why then, instead of governments swooping in with these regulatory lifelines, are we seeing at best antipathy or at worst active disinformation campaigns to block regulation that might aid businesses to make the necessary transitions to align with Net Zero strategies and investments? What are the forces at play? Why aren't governments stepping up to the challenge?

    These are a few of the questions Paul and Dylan will be exploring over Part One of this mini series with a range of expert guests including:
    Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
    Naomi Oreskes
    Amita Chaudhury
    Steve Waygood
    Chris Skidmore MP


    NOTES AND RESOURCES
    Dylan Tanner, InfluenceMap
    Website | Twitter | LinkedIn

    Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
    Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

    Naomi Oreskes
    Twitter | LinkedIn

    Amita Chaudhury
    LinkedIn
    AIA Group
    Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

    Steve Waygood
    Twitter | LinkedIn
    Aviva Investors
    LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

    Chris Skidmore MP
    Twitter


    Credits:

    Series Producer: Catherine Harte

    Exec Producer: Sarah Thomas

    Producer/Sound Design/Editor: Clay Carnill

    Production Coordinator: Mandy Clark

    Social Media Manager: Kam-Mei Chak

    Communications Manager: Zoe Tcholak-Antitch

    Operations Manager: Katie Bradford


    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!

    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective

    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 1 hr 22 min
    Climate and Nature: One and The Same

    Climate and Nature: One and The Same

    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, Christiana, Tom and Paul cut straight to heart of our collective outrage following yet more announcements from Oil and Gas companies disclosing record-breaking profits. The fact that these record breaking profits are juxtaposed with record-breaking temperatures directly causing devastation to people and planet leads to a line-in-the-sand moment for Christiana.

    Our esteemed guest this week is Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28.  Tune in as the hosts explore with Razan her journey to her current role, her passionate focus and belief on the integral role of nature in tackling the climate crisis and the importance of engaging, understanding and preserving different cultural relationships to our environment.

    This week's music comes from a wonderful artist called Arya with her superb track: "The Art of Letting Go."
     
    NOTES AND RESOURCES

    H.E. Razan Al Mubarak
    UN Climate Change High-Level Champion from the COP28 Presidency
    LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website

    Arya
    Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
    Check out Arya’s “Por Amor De Mi Vida”
    -
    WATCH: Zen Rapstars of Plum Village - “Little Star” Performance
    -
    SIGN UP: Donna Grantis' Culture vs Policy Email List (scroll down to bottom of the page to enter your email)

    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.

    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!
    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective

    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 1 hr 13 min
    Seeing Through Our Privilege

    Seeing Through Our Privilege

    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.
    With our very own 'durational piece of art' Paul Dickinson away this week, Christiana and Tom take a sobering look at the heatwaves affecting so much of the global community right now; and analyse Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber's speech at the 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue.
    We also have music this week from Stella Talpo with her track Tarantino.
    Clay is sadly away this week spending some time with the monastics of Plum Village - we are expecting him to be very Zen upon his return! Huge thanks as ever to Airaphon for helping with the edit. 
    Stella Talpo - Tarantino

    Instagram |  Twitter | Bio-site
    For those interested in Tom and Christiana's reference to The Ministry of the Future, check out our episode with author Kim Stanley Robinson here
    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.
    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!
    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective

    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 23 min
    What If Our Best Times Are Ahead Of Us?

    What If Our Best Times Are Ahead Of Us?

    Welcome to another bumper episode of Outrage + Optimism!
     
    This week we kick off with a rather triumphant Paul Dickinson revelling in the news that Fox News personality, Tucker Carlson, has parted ways with the corporation. First David Malpass, now Tucker Carlson... We can’t help but wonder who else features on Paul’s mysterious list? Don’t worry Tom, you are quite safe. For now…
    Christiana, Tom and Paul cover other big news in the US including Biden’s re-election bid; a White House commitment to put $1 billion into the Green Climate Fund; the announcement of the launch of Carbon Management Challenge; and an anticipated Biden vs Trump showdown. The recent G7, IMF and World Bank gatherings also come under the hosts scrutiny.
    Our interview this week is with two formidable and fantastic women: (Mama) Mary Robinson (Chair of the Elders) and Hafsat Abiola, (President, Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative), who together have launched Project Dandelion, an incredible initiative that has grown out of the Connected Women Leaders network.
    Finally, we play a brief clip featuring Mary Robinson taken from a short film entitled How Do We Get the World Off Fossil Fuels Quickly and Fairly? This film, recently made and released by our fantastic friends and partners over at TED Countdown serves as the second installment of their brilliant TED Countdown Dilemma Series. Be sure to watch the many varied viewpoints offered by an impressive line-up of guests here.

     
    NOTES AND RESOURCES 
     
    Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders 
    Instagram | Facebook | Website | Twitter | YouTube
     
    Hafsat Abiola, President, Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative
    LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
     
    Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative
    Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website | Twitter | YouTube
     
    Connected Women Leaders (CWL) and Project Dandelion
    LinkedIn | Twitter



    TED Countdown 
    Website | Instagram | Twitter
     
    WATCH: TED Countdown Dilemma Series
    How Do We Get the World Off Fossil Fuels Quickly and Fairly
     
    NEWSLETTER: Subscribe!
    Prince? Tzeporah? Shredding? —-> It will all make sense.
     
    To learn more about our planet’s climate emergency and how you can transform outrage into optimistic action subscribe to the podcast here.
     
    AND - The Environmental Music Prize is BACK for 2023! YOU can take climate action by watching music videos and voting for your favourites to win the $20,000AUD prize!
     
    Go here to vote: 
    Environmental Music Prize
    Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website
     
    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.
     
    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!
    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective
     
    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 55 min
    Earth Day Special: LIVE Q+A on Momentum vs Perfection

    Earth Day Special: LIVE Q+A on Momentum vs Perfection

    Welcome back to an Outrage + Optimism Earth Day Special where we are super excited to share with you this recording of our Live Q&A session recorded on Wednesday 19th April discussing the Momentum vs Perfection series.
    We duly rolled out the red carpet once again for the fabulous Fiona McRaith who co-hosted the original Momentum vs Perfection mini-series with Tom Rivett-Carnac, and were thrilled to be able to offer our wonderful audience the chance to peek behind the curtain on our live recording and put their questions to the host team. 
    Tune in to hear our hosts’ answers to questions about momentum, perfection, diversity, 'the moveable middle', joy, spirituality and more.
    PLUS Paul's singing 🎶 - and the audience vote on it 👍👎...?

     
    NOTES AND RESOURCES 
     
    Fiona McRaith, Manager, Engagement & Delivery and Special Assistant to the President & CEO, Bezos Earth Fund
    LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
     
    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 what’s happening around the globe on Earth Day 2023. Major events include Extinction Rebellion’s The Big One in London which aims to be the largest environmental protest of 2023, Earth Day DC’s End of Era of Fossil Fuels in Washington DC and countless more.
     
    AND - The Environmental Music Prize is BACK for 2023! Starting Earth Day (Saturday) Apr 22, 2023 YOU can take climate action by watching music videos and voting for your favorites to win the $20,000AUD prize!
    Go here to vote:
    Environmental Music Prize
    Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website
     
    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.
     
    It’s official, we’re a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof!
    Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective
     
    Please follow us on social media!
    Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

    • 56 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
387 Ratings

387 Ratings

Phila-Dan ,

It helps me to take action.

I was writing this for a survey, and realized it was really a podcast review:

In the past 2 years, I have moved from despondency about climate change, to an excitement for action. Outrage + Optimism is a huge part of this, along with Molly Wood's Sunday "VC Sunday School" podcast interviews with climate-founders, and "How to Save a Planet". What helped me turn the corner was an interview with Katherine Hayhoe on "On Being", which my 9 year-old daughter insisted I leave playing when she got in the car. There was a particular moment in that podcast where she describes that we're actually going in the right direction, but we all need to help push the progress to go faster. That unlocked the secret for me.

I'm not very involved in big-picture policy matters, but Outrage + Optimism explains what's happening at that level with the right mix of hope and clear-minded assessments.

Personally, since I already have rooftop solar panels, I decided the "next steps" I could take would be to help others get them. So I've been like a non-salesman friend, hand-holding a few folks to help them take the hard step of "going solar". More recently I've also started to build a coalition of teachers and parents to get our public elementary school to get solar panels on the roof, and tie in all kinds of teaching with that. I'm so excited about this! It actually pulls in citywide initiatives into a wonderfully feel-good project. I am certain we will succeed. I don't know how long it will take, but we're going to make a glorious stink of the process, so everyone hears about it.

In its global and government policy focus, Outrage + Optimism actually helps me to understand how my smaller, local actions fit into a bigger picture. I can work hard myself on things that I know make a difference at my scale, while feeling comforted that others are working at vastly different levels, towards policy change, government action, and fiscal responsibility for the environment.

manoazam ,

Love from Bhutan - Thank you for your wisdom!

I love listening to this podcast and as a climate advocate in Bhutan esp. working within the space of climate literacy, action and young people - I derive much joy and share the same frustrations expressed and channeled so eloquently and realistically in this podcast. I love the chemistry between Christina, Paul and Tom. I am big fan. One of my aspirations is to do a similar podcast to bring Bhutan’s climate stories to the forefront, owning and creating our own narrative esp. the voices and perspectives of the young Bhutanese that make up about 65% of population. Thank you again!

NorthwestRabble ,

Infuriating and Uplifting

Infuriating on the “outrage” side of the house and uplifting on the “optimism” side, this podcast does a superb job of educating its listeners on the damage mankind is doing to its own habitat AND the cooperative efforts to undo that damage. I love the energy behind Christiana, Tom and Paul’s conversations and they bring in some fascinating speakers. Found this podcast after reading (and loving) “The Future We Choose” by Tom and Christiana. Highly recommend both the podcast and the book.

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