Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

COP30 is here! Day one dawns in the Amazon, and all eyes are on the host nation - and on the man tasked with steering the talks. On the eve of what could be the most consequential COP since Paris, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac sat down with Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil’s COP30 President, for an inside look at his priorities: the tone he hopes to set and the outcomes he hopes to see for this pivotal summit. How does he view the difference between negotiation and implementation? How can leaders sustain confidence in progress when some countries aren’t even in the room? And what will it take to restore faith that this process can still deliver? The science is unsparing: the 1.5°C limit is no longer a distant prospect but a fast-approaching threshold. Meanwhile, the geopolitical framework on which multilateral cooperation depends is under strain. Against this backdrop, Ambassador Corrêa do Lago faces an unenviable task: to steer a divided world toward unity, and to turn ambition into action on the banks of the Amazon. Can he do it? Learn more: Listen to our episode, Inside COP: How to Build a COP 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe or on our socials where you can also see more behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Edited by: Miles Martignoni Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why hasn’t the UK contributed to Brazil's flagship Tropical Forests Forever Facility it helped design? With COP30 about to open in Belém, the UK’s absence from this major forest finance deal is raising eyebrows. Meanwhile, Prince William, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Energy and Climate Change Minister Ed Miliband have been in Brazil this week, demonstrating the country’s continued commitment to the COP process. Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac sit down with Ed Miliband for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about credible climate leadership, the defence of multilateralism, and why the right is wrong to claim voters don’t care about the climate. Recorded just after the Leaders’ Summit, 36 hours before COP30 begins, this episode dives into the apparent contradictions in the UK’s actions this week, and asks: how can climate ambition survive amidst political polarisation and harsh economic realities? Learn more: 💡 Read about the Tropical Forests Forever Facility ⚡See the latest from the UK’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As COP30 opens in Belém, world leaders have gathered for the first major moment of this Amazon-based summit in the shadow of growing doubts about global cooperation. With some major countries absent and others already signalling caution, the urgency of credible action is louder than ever. Brazil has launched it’s flagship Tropical Forests Forever Facility to fund the protection of the world’s tropical forests. But with some major donors holding back, including the UK, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Fiona McRaith discuss who’s really stepping up to deliver - and who isn't. Jacinda Ardern, former New Zealand Prime Minister, joins Christiana and Tom to share what it’s like to be on the inside of a leaders’ summit and asks: if this is to be an implementation COP, the question needs to be, “of what?” And we are also joined by Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Climate, for a wide-ranging conversation on shifting geopolitics and diplomatic tactics, and how the ‘The siloed Ministry of Environment’ is a thing of the past. As we move toward the start of the crucial COP30 talks, this episode brings you into the room where debates are shaped, questions are asked, and agreements are negotiated. Learn more: 📖 Read more about the Belem Leaders Summit 💡 Learn about the Tropical Forests Forever Facility 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Edited by: Miles Martignoni Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the national plans and global headlines, a quieter revolution is already underway. Almost 100 major cities - representing 23% of the world’s economy - are proving what local leadership can do. From clean-air targets and green-job creation to citizen-led adaptation, these C40 cities are already showing that climate action works for the planet and for their people. In this episode, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Fiona McRaith take us inside the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro - where mayors, governors, and regional leaders are driving climate progress from the ground up. As part of this, they spend time at the C40 World Mayors Summit, where Tom speaks with Mark Watts, C40 Cities Executive Director C40 Cities, about how mayors are turning ambition into action. And in a timely conversation, Mayor Keith Wilson of Portland shares how his city is cutting emissions and investing in resilience as federal support stalls. Finally, we hear from a panel hosted by Christiana Figueres with Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, youth climate advocate Juliette Oluoch and COP30 Special Envoy for Bioeconomy Marcelo Behar. As the world prepares to meet in Belém, these cities, citizens, and local leaders are demonstrating that climate action doesn’t wait for permission - it starts where people live. Learn more: 📰 Read what was on the agenda and what happened at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum 🌆 Explore the people and places behind C40 Cities 🤝 Find out more about the CHAMP initiative (the Coalition for High Ambition Multi-Level Partnerships) 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Edited by: Miles Martignoni Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a year when climate news can feel relentlessly bleak, the Earthshot Prize offers something vital - proof of progress. And in this year’s fifteen finalists, that proof is taking many forms, across many corners of the globe. This week, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Fiona McRaith bring us behind the scenes of the Earthshot Prize. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro as the world’s attention turned to the 2025 ceremony. As Chair of the Earthshot Prize, Christiana reflects on Prince William’s vision to turn his platform into a catalyst for global good, and how the Prize has evolved into one of the most visible platforms for environmental innovation. Tom and Christiana sit down with Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, who shares how the idea first took shape during a trip to Africa and what it means to inject “a big dent of optimism” into the climate story. Christiana also speaks with Nonette Royo of the Tenure Facility - one of this year’s finalists - about empowering Indigenous communities to protect forests and secure land rights. Later, Fiona takes us inside the Earthshot hub in Rio to speak with more of this year’s finalists. Omoyemi Akerele of Lagos Fashion Week, Runa Khan of Friendship in Bangladesh, and Fred Holt of Key Quarter Tower in Sydney share what this recognition means for their work and the change they hope to spark in their fields. From floating hospitals to circular fashion, from forest protection to upcycled skyscrapers, hear the extraordinary creativity driving climate action around the world - and the energy building as the Earthshot movement looks toward its next chapter. Learn more: ⚡Explore all this year’s Earthshot Prize finalists and winners 📜 Read Christiana in the Economist on the innovation driving climate action 🌍Join the global citizens demanding faster action on climate change 🌊 Listen to our episode Hope for the High Seas on the "blue marble"! 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Edited by: Miles Martignoni Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the trillion-dollar problem: funds are on the table - but the money isn’t always flowing to where it’s needed most. As Hurricane Melissa batters the Caribbean, it leaves behind a stark reminder of what’s at stake when finance fails to reach the most climate-vulnerable places. This week on Inside COP, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith unpack what it will take to fix the world’s climate finance system, and make COP30 a turning point from pledges to real investment. The team are joined by guest host Sue Reid, Climate Finance Advisor at Global Optimism, to demystify the landscape of public and private finance and explain how smarter systems - not just bigger sums - can unlock climate action at scale. And Avinash Persaud of the Inter-American Development Bank, outlines the major finance innovations to watch in Belém, from debt-swap facilities to the ReInvest+ initiative. Plus, the team considers the latest NDC synthesis report, which highlights the gap between where we are and where we need to be. But do these nationally determined contributions reflect the real-world momentum already underway - or just mirror the politics of the moment? Learn more: 🌎 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 💰 Read about the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap to $1.3 Trillion 🌳 Discover the Tropical Forests Forever Facility 📈 Explore the latest NDC Synthesis Report 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Lead Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Audio Editor: Ned Carter Miles Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly 9 out of 10 people worldwide want their governments to do more on climate. So why does it feel like progress is so slow? And what happens when countries start bending the rules? This week on Inside COP, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Christiana Figueres, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith react to the shock postponement of the IMO’s net-zero shipping deal, derailed by US pressure. What does this setback reveal about power, diplomacy, and the fragile state of cooperation. Meanwhile, the COP Presidency is turning a national idea into a global invitation: the Mutirão - a uniquely Brazilian, Indigenous-rooted concept of coming together to get things done for the common good. Christiana and Paul speak with André Guimarães, the COP Special Envoy for Civil Society, who unpacks the deeper meaning of the Global Mutirão and how it could unite citizens, communities and governments behind climate action that feels both personal and collective. And to bring that spirit alive, Laura Moraes of Earth FC joins to share how the world’s most-loved sport is joining Team Earth - using football’s passion and global reach to rally millions around climate action. From grief to agency, from stadiums to summits, from Outrage to Optimism, this episode asks: what does it take to feel part of something bigger? And how can each of us play our part in the world’s greatest team effort yet? Learn more: 🌎 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 🤝 Learn how COP30 is defining “Global Mutirão” ⚽ Get onside and learn more about Earth FC 🚢 Find out how the US torpedoed the IMO’s shipping emissions levy 📋 Read about the Global Goal on Adaptation on the UN Climate Change site 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Lead Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Audio Editor: Ned Carter Miles Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global balance of power is shifting. Can climate diplomacy keep up? As China rises, the BRICS expand and the United States retreats, new power blocks formed by competition and conflict will take centre stage in the negotiations in Belem. In this week’s Inside COP, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Christiana Figueres, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith ask: what will it take for COP30 to foster genuine cooperation in a changing world? And who will get a slice of the new green economy? They are joined by Bernice Lee of Chatham House, who explores how multipolar geopolitics, resource security, and the race to ‘share the green pie’ are transforming climate diplomacy. And Joanna MacGregor, Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, sets out why progress is still being made despite global headwinds - and what implementation success could look like in Belém. From populism to geopolitics, the team asks: can climate ambition survive an age of competition? And what lessons from past COPs might help Brazil carve out space for collaboration in a fractured world? Learn more: 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements 💡 Dive into Chatham House’s work on subjects including climate policy, energy transitions, and natural resources 🤝 Read ‘Will China and the BRICS fill the ‘leadership gap’ on climate change?’ from Carbon Brief 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Lead Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Audio Editor: Ned Carter Miles Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will COP30 be the COP of ‘implementation’? And what would that actually mean? Beyond the famous negotiating halls, climate action is already happening. Businesses, investors and cities are driving real change, and the new green economy is rising in tandem with diplomacy. So can Belém mark the moment when implementation promises turn into reality? This week, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith explore the COP ‘Action Agenda’ - the broad range of voluntary climate action that mobilises the private sector, regional governments and civil society. Plus, they consider the extraordinary transformation already reshaping global energy systems and the flow of capital worldwide. Paul and Fiona hear from leading voices who explore how the real economy is accelerating climate action - from boardrooms and bond markets to start-ups across Latin America. Contributing are Marina Grossi, COP30 Special Envoy for the Private Sector; Aniket Shah, Global Head of ESG and Sustainable Finance at Jefferies; Sue Reid, Senior Advisor at Global Optimism; and Daniel Gajardo, Chilean entrepreneur and co-founder of Reciprocal. Together, they outline what to look for this November in Brazil, and ask how we can tell when implementation is truly happening - not just promised. Learn more: 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website for background and announcements ⚡ Dive into the details of Ember’s Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025, highlighting the scale of the energy transition 🌳 Discover more about the proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility 📋 Read about the themes and key objectives of the COP30 Action Agenda 🎤 What do you want to hear on Inside COP? Ask us on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us. Get in touch with us via this form. Lead Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Audio Editor: Ned Carter Miles Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the sad news this week of Jane Goodall’s passing, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac remember her extraordinary work, personality and humility. They are joined by Mary Lewis, Vice President of the Jane Goodall Institute and Jane’s long-time friend, who shares her memories of her remarkable colleague and her reflections on the incredible legacy she leaves behind. Plus, we share an interview from one of our very earliest episodes with Jane herself. Learn more 🌳 Discover more about the work of the Jane Goodall Institute, and its impact across the world Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Producer: Caillin McDaid Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you build a COP? With just a few weeks to go until COP30 in Belém, we take listeners inside the high stakes and the complex mechanics of a climate summit: how they’re structured, who’s running the show, and what makes this one different. Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith unpack how high-level climate conferences actually work, and explore the people and processes shaping this first Amazonian COP. And, with multilateralism under pressure, they ask what we should be looking out for in November, and what success in Belém might look like. Joining the hosts is Thais Bilenky, Brazilian political journalist and new friend of the show, to give us the view from inside Brazil: Lula’s positioning on the global stage, domestic tensions between national and regional politics, the tricky symbolism of COP in the state of Pará, and what all this means for international climate negotiations. Learn more: 🌍 Check out the official COP30 website 📊 Find out more about the NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) and see what countries have submitted this year, or dive into this NDC tracker from Climate Watch for some digestible analysis of where they leave us 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does COP deliver a pathway to dealing with the worsening climate crisis? That’s the big question as attention across the world turns to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, later this year. Inside COP is your complete guide, unpacking the challenges, conversations and actions shaping the global response to climate change in 2025. Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson and new co-host Fiona McRaith take you on the road to Belém, starting on the ground at New York Climate Week where we hear from Simon Stiell, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon. What needs to happen from here in this new era of climate action? We speak to Ana Toni from the COP Presidency about expectations for the Nationally Determined Contributions (the climate action plans countries submit under the Paris Agreement) as well as what COP hopes to achieve, including their hopes for collaborative initiatives like the Mutirão. Plus, our hosts address President Trump’s shocking comments on climate. Is this a major concern or is the climate community already moving forward regardless? Learn more ⁠🎬 Re-watch the live event at CWNYC 🌿 Follow the official COP30 website ⁠🌅 Understand how COP30 can give rise to this new international era Make sure you don’t miss any of our behind the scenes content. Follow us on socials: LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Instagram @outrageoptimism And we want to hear from you! What do you want to hear more of in Inside COP? Get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas With thanks to Groundswell and Global Optimism. This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Outrage + Optimism, we join the Be Hope global podcast takeover - a collaboration of shows amplifying courage and possibility in facing the greatest challenges of our time. Alongside Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson, guest co-host Sophia Li helps us explore how states, cities, and communities in the US are holding the line on climate when federal leadership fails. What does it take to take Trump to court on clean energy? Attorney General Peter Neronha of Rhode Island tells us about his landmark lawsuit to restart the nearly completed Revolution Wind project. How can we bring more people with us on this transition? Musician and climate advocate Adam Met introduces his Neo-Industrial Revolution declaration, calling for a new language of climate that connects with jobs, prosperity and everyday lives. Plus, we hear from voices in politics and advocacy - from New York to Texas - about the efforts they have been making to create green jobs, support healthier communities, and fight misinformation, at a time when the national picture is far from easy. Learn more: ⚖️ Read more on Rhode Island and Connecticut lawsuit against Trump over wind farm halt ⚡ Find out about New York’s all-electric buildings act 🏫 Further information on ALIGN’s Green, Healthy Schools campaign 🌍 See more on 50 for 50 Earth on Corey’s Substack 📜 Read the Neo Industrial Revolution declaration on Planet Reimagined’s website 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From stalled UN plastics treaty talks, to the hottest summer on record across much of the northern hemisphere - it’s been a bleak few weeks for climate news. So this week, against a backdrop of worsening headlines, we ask: are there still reasons to be optimistic? And what will it take to turn urgency into real change? Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson are joined by Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO of the World Resources Institute. His new book, The New Global Possible: Rebuilding Optimism in the Age of Climate Crisis, argues that while we know what needs to be done, the real challenge lies in how to orchestrate transformation at scale. Ani shares stories of progress from cities, nations, and communities around the world, making the case that optimism isn’t about ignoring reality, but about mobilising the political, economic, and social will to act. But does a hopeful outlook risk minimising the seriousness of the crisis? And how can we close the gap between lofty pledges and meaningful action? Learn more: 📖 Check out Ani Dasgupta’s The New Global Possible - currently available internationally in ebook and in print editions from many retailers 🌍 Read about the background and latest developments on the UN Global Plastics Treaty 🌡️ Dive into this roundup of the record-breaking extreme weather that hit the northern hemisphere this summer 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to live on the front lines of climate change - where rising seas, collapsing ecosystems and the legacies of colonialism collide? This week, Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson are joined by guest host Andrew Higham (Founder of the Future of Climate Cooperation, and former UNFCCC Senior Advisor), to hear from three remarkable people from across the Solomon Islands, Alaska and Greenland. Their stories serve as a stark warning of the ways climate change is reshaping lives, identities and politics. How centuries-old knowledge offers resilience and guidance the world cannot afford to ignore. How do you build an island? Indigenous Knowledge Advocate Lysa Wini describes how her Solomon Islands ancestors literally created their islands from coral and rock. How are their successors responding, now that rising oceans threaten their homes? Wáahlaal Gidaag, Haida leader from Alaska and VP of Arctic Conservation at Ocean Conservancy, shares how her son’s questions are drawing her back to ancestral ways of seeing land and sea. And Parnuna Egede Dahl, Special Advisor with Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat in Greenland, explains how self-rule intersects with ocean governance, and what Greenland’s decision to join the Paris Agreement means for the future. Their experiences challenge us to look beyond negotiations and policy texts, and ask: what can we learn from those who have always been on climate’s front lines? And how can we work together to protect the planet on which we all depend? 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if we could not only listen to the rest of nature, but actually understand it? From decoding whale songs to giving nature a legal voice, the possibilities are tantalising - and they may not be as far-fetched as they sound. That’s why the Earth Species Project (ESP) is racing to use artificial intelligence to translate the communication of other species before they fall silent. How can this cutting edge technology analyse data that would take human researchers a lifetime? And how might findings feed into emerging ideas about ecocentric governance and earth law? We hear from ESP’s Aza Raskin (Co-founder), Jane Lawton (Managing Director) and Olivier Pietquin (Chief Scientist) about this extraordinary mission, and the tools they’re using to achieve the previously unimaginable. Plus, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson explore the promises and pitfalls of AI: its energy demands, its unpredictable impacts on democracy and capitalism, and its potential to become a ‘Galileo moment’ in how humans relate to the living world. This episode features recordings of animal species - some of which were used in the training of ESP’s NatureLM-Audio model. Learn more 🔊 Discover more about ESP’s large audio model, NatureLM-Audio, and the technology driving their work 📖 Read Aldo Leopold’s A Sound County Almanac, including the essay Thinking Like a Mountain 🐋 Read about about the story of Tokitae the orca calf 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from Belém… it’s Outrage + Optimism! (Or it will be.) This year’s COP is one of the most significant in years, and we’ll be there with you every step of the way - charting the buildup, analysing events on the ground, and reflecting on the impacts that will be felt for decades to come. We’re delighted to announce that we are the official COP30 podcast, and there’s nobody better than Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson to tell you everything you need to know - alongside some very special guests. Inside COP will bring you the voices of negotiators, COP30 leaders and communities from Brazil and beyond. And as the climate story of the year unfolds, we’ll be asking the hard questions, and ensuring you get the inside scoop on what’s really going on. Episodes of Inside COP will be released in this feed - so if you’re not already, subscribe now and join us as we gear up for Belém. Plus, send us your questions, insights, hopes and concerns, so that you can help shape this vital conversation. 🎤 Leave us your COP-related voice notes and questions on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s really in the food on our plates? The journey to our supermarket shelves is one of broken economics, environmental destruction, and social injustice. But what if agriculture could look completely different? This week, Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson travel to Umbria, Italy, to visit QuintoSapore, a farm founded by twin brothers Nicola and Alessandro. After leaving city careers, they set out to reinvent farming: growing food in a way that respects living things, restores soil, and values the people who work the land. Instead of short-term, precarious labour, they offer full-time contracts, living wages, and community. Instead of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, they look to biomimicry, biochar, and heirloom seeds - not discovering, but remembering the old ways and learning from nature. From a revelation in a drought-stricken woodland, to redefining what it means to “grow” rather than “produce” food, this episode is a reminder that the path to climate resilience runs straight through our fields. Learn more 🌱 Explore QuintoSapore’s story 🍅 Watch our video clips from the farm visit on Instagram and LinkedIn 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As global temperatures continue to skyrocket, the once unthinkable is now within view: overshooting 1.5°C of warming. This limit, set out in the Paris Agreement, has defined a decade of climate action, but is fast approaching. So what happens next? This week, Tom, Christiana and Paul grapple with the latest science, the looming risks of climate tipping points, and the urgent need to prepare for the worst - even while hoping and working for the best. They’re joined by Ricken Patel, former Founding CEO of global activism nonprofit Avaaz, who is now calling us to take the possibility of overshoot seriously, and to build the political, technological and social capacity to bring temperatures back down. From nature-based solutions to novel carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management, this episode considers the broad spectrum of options on the table, and the challenges they present. Why has climate contingency planning been missing from the political debate? And does simply talking about it risk slowing climate action? These aren’t just questions of what we might do in the future - but of what we’re prepared to act on now. Learn more 🌡️ Explore the IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C - outlining some of the projected impacts and available pathways 🌱 Interested in nature-based solutions? Check out this explainer from the UN Environment Programme 🌬️ Interested in carbon dioxide removal? Browse through the CDR Primer ☀️ Interested in solar radiation management? Read this NOAA factsheet 🎧 Listen to two of producer Ben’s other podcasts about carbon dioxide removal, The Carbon Removal Show and Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isn’t climate change just part of a natural cycle? Weren’t CO2 levels much higher in the past? And, even if we should be worried, can one person really make a difference? Lies travel faster than facts. We’ve all been confronted by someone who doesn’t ‘believe the science’ and asks questions like these - but how do we change their minds? A powerful report from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) warns how coordinated misinformation campaigns are eroding public understanding and slowing climate progress around the world. And as anyone working in or advocating for climate action knows, persistent myths and misunderstandings continue to thrive - even as the science gets clearer, the stakes get higher, and the crisis becomes more urgent. What’s clear is that disinformation is a weapon, and it’s being targeted at climate action. So this week, Christiana Figueres and Paul Dickinson tackle some of the most common (and frustrating) climate myths - where do they come from, why are they misleading, and how can we win the battle against them? Learn more ⏳ Listen back to our episodes Momentum vs Perfection, where we explore different theories of change within the climate movement and the tension between urgency, impact, and doing things the ‘right’ way. 🎤 Leave us your voice notes and questions for upcoming episodes on SpeakPipe Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos: Instagram @outrageoptimism LinkedIn @outrageoptimism Or get in touch with us via this form. Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid Assistant Producer: Eve Jones Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.