278 episodes
Outrage + Optimism Global Optimism
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- Science
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4.6 • 414 Ratings
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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.
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US Election Special: Is a Win for Harris a Win for Climate?
Newsflash: In an emergency podcast session recorded on Monday, July 22nd, we delve into President Biden’s announcement that he will not seek re-election. Following his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Presidential Nominee, we bring you a comprehensive analysis of this pivotal moment in U.S. politics.
In this episode: Kamala Harris’s Strong Record on Climate Action: A deep dive into her achievements and policies aimed at combating climate change. President Biden’s Climate Legacy: Reflecting on the significant environmental strides made during his tenure as he enters his final six months in office. Election Speculation: Could Harris defeat Trump? Is America ready for its first Black female president? We discuss the potential outcomes and implications of this historic candidacy. Optimism for the Future: Assessing the prospects of a Harris victory and what it could mean for climate action and environmental policies. Stay Connected: Follow us on social media for updates throughout the summer.
Send in your questions and topics you'd like us to cover next season.
NOTES AND RESOURCES
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!
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Elections Roundup
In this week's Election Special Roundup, our hosts delve into Labour’s recent victory in the UK, offering detailed analysis tailored for both UK and non-UK listeners. They cover the key events and implications from both before and after the election, providing a comprehensive overview of the political landscape.
Highlights:
Labour’s Win in the UK: In-depth discussion on Labour's success, including the factors leading to their victory and its potential impact on the UK political scene as well as key figures in Starmer’s cabinet that will play a key role in climate going forward.
UK and French Elections: Celebration of the defeat of far-right factions in both countries, examining the broader implications for European politics.
US Politics: A brief look at the challenges facing the Democratic Party, especially in light of President Biden’s underwhelming performance in his recent televised debate with former President Trump.
Season Finale: As we wrap up this season, we want to thank our listeners for their support. Have an amazing summer holiday, and we look forward to returning in September with more discussions on climate action, political debates, and much more.
Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media for updates over the summer.
Send in your questions and topics you'd like us to cover next season.
See You in September!
NOTES AND RESOURCES
Listen to the latest The Way Out Is In Episode with Christiana Figueres
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 -
Mid-2024 Climate Review: How Are We Doing?
In our penultimate episode of the season, hosts Christiana, Tom, and Paul delve into a reflection on the year 2024 so far. This episode takes a deep dive into recent events, including London Climate Action Week, the global political landscape, and the clean energy transformation, all viewed through a climate lens.
Optimistic Outlook: Christiana shares positive news about upcoming trade agreements involving Costa Rica, Switzerland, Iceland, and New Zealand, which aim to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods.
Looking Ahead: The hosts speculate on what the latter half of the year might bring for climate action and global policies as we anticipate UNGA, New York Climate Week, COP 16 and COP 29 to name but a few.
Upcoming Episode: We will be back for a short episode early next week, dedicated to understanding the election results in the UK and France.
Farewell for Now: The hosts and the O+O team wish you a restful summer holiday. Stay connected for announcements and content on our social media channels as we take a brief break from the airwaves.
Thank you for tuning in!
NOTES AND RESOURCES
Dawn of the Solar Age article from the Economist as mentioned by Tom
Details of the trade agreement between Costa Rica, New Zealand, Iceland and Switzerland as mentioned by Christiana
UK Citizen? Learn How To Vote Here
French Citizen? Learn How To Vote 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 -
Mission 2025: It's Time For Leaders To Lead (Recorded Live!)
This week, we recorded live from London Climate Action Week at the Mission 2025 launch event. Tom Rivett-Carnac was joined by guests Andrew Steer (Bezos Earth Fund), Adair Turner (ETC), Isabelle Noero (Earthrise), Hein Schumacher (Unilever), Tamsin Ballard (PRI), Karen Pflug (INGKA Group) and Nigar Arpadarai (COP29 Champion). Hear their conversations about how to act on climate with speed and scale.
Moving faster on tackling the climate crisis is too difficult, too unpopular or too expensive, right? Wrong! This week a new high-ambition coalition of business, mayors, investors, health leaders, athletes, youth activists, scientists and citizens was launched to call on governments to move even faster on climate action. Over 20 organisations have joined Mission 2025, to say: "We are ready to embolden governments to set more ambitious plans and accelerate implementation. We know this can unlock trillions in private investment to protect our nature, scale cheap renewable energy, support industries to compete in a low carbon economy, and safeguard living standards equitably for our people." Mission 2025 is a much needed effort to unlock the momentum needed for this transition to happen at the speed and scale required, and with the equity deserved. Because holding the line on 1.5°C is not an aspirational target – it is a scientific imperative.
We hope you enjoy this lively conversation!
NOTES AND RESOURCES
GUESTS
Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund
LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
Twitter | LinkedIn
Isabella Noero, Head of Collaborative Partnerships at Earthrise Studio
LinkedIn | Instagram
Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever
LinkedIn
Tamsin Ballard, Chief Initiatives Officer at PRI
Karen Pflug, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ingka Group
LinkedIn | Instagram
Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29 Azerbaijan
LinkedIn | Twitter (X)
London Climate Action Week
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 -
Presenting: 'We Are The Great Turning'
This week, something unique for our listeners from the podcast 'We Are The Great Turning'.
As Joanna Macy approaches the end of a long life dedicated to healing our imperiled planet, she begins the conversation with Jessica Serrante, her student and dear friend, “standing afresh with what it’s like to live on Earth at this moment.”
As we look into the face of the climate crisis, injustice, and war, difficult feelings arise; all are welcomed.
You are invited to join them at Joanna’s kitchen table, and invited into a deeper sense of your belonging and love for our world.
In this episode:
How to connect with the great possibilities that still exist for us even in these precarious times Joanna reflects on her awakening of environmental consciousness
Jess reflects on how meeting Joanna changed her life
Love, laughter, heartbreak, and the Work That Reconnects
Bonus Exercise: “Open Sentences”—a practice for partners
We recommend starting a podcast club with friends or family to do these practices together. Links and assets to help prompt reflection and build community can be found with every episode on WeAreTheGreatTurning.com.
Website: WeAreTheGreatTurning.com
RSS feed subscription links: Apple Podcasts + Spotify -
World Refugee Day: Migration In A Post-Climate Change World
This week, Outrage + Optimism celebrate World Refugee Day with an interview with Gaia Vince. The hosts discuss how extreme heat, floods or natural disasters cause tens of millions of people to leave their homes behind. They look at how climate migration is happening now and will only happen faster and with greater impact. With each degree of temperature rise, a billion people will be displaced and huge swathes of the world will become uninhabitable.
Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval talks to the hosts about the need for what she calls ‘honest pragmatism about human mobility’. With Gaia’s steer, the hosts and Gaia discuss ways we might manage this inevitable movement of people; why the right wing, anti-immigration narrative might resonate but is not rooted in the fact that migrants historically enrich societies, both culturally and financially, and how to implement long-term solutions rather than patch-ups.
NOTES AND RESOURCES
Please fill out our 2024 Listener Feedback Survey!
Vote for Outrage + Optimism in the British Podcast Awards Listeners’ Choice Category!
GUESTS
Gaia Vince
Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X)
NOTES
World Refugee Day
Refugee Week: 17 - 23 June
What is the ‘human climate niche’ and why does it matter?
‘Simple Acts’ for Refugee Week!
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
Customer Reviews
This is my only regular podcast. Period.
I love this show by Christiana, Paul and Tom. I find the topics, interviews, discussions, and insights shared an invaluable part of my education around climate issues. The breadth and depth of content covered is always eye opening, and always current, helping me to track the deeper and significant issues driving or hindering action. I love their humor too and stubborn optimism :) So important to keep us buoyant, and resilient in interesting times! I work in academic integrative healthcare and am involved in creating programs and facilitating greater awareness around the non-separate nature of humans and our home. The enriching spiritual perspective of Thich Naht Han’s principles of interbeing that undergirds the show aligns with my own convictions and further supports this area of my work. With so many sources of news, education and information available, stacked against limited time to listen, their obvious personal and professional commitment to the field, long term view and decades long involvement and learned experience, makes this literally the only podcast I listen to a regular basis on any topic. Thank you!!!
Informed AND Hopeful!
I’m a much much much more informed consumer of climate information because I listen to this podcast. And I’m a much much much more optimistic and thus active citizen because of its uplifting tone—great work!
Thank you!
I just finished your book. Thanks, very scary but still a window of hope. Five stars for both the book and the podcast. I will try to share each. I am sure I have made a mistake. Please, know that the April 24th episode is the first in long time that felt something resembling optimism. Again.