Outrage + Optimism

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.

Tom kicks off the episode by recapping the learnings gleaned from the previous episode’s conversations. He reflects that “holding fast to what we know is important and also adapting to be practical to make progress when we need to are both important’.

Disagreement, we learned last week however, is inevitable and Tom and Fiona question whether part of the solution lies in being comfortable with dwelling with empathy and understanding in the apparent dichotomy we find ourselves in.

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 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 CARE International, women’s rights activist, and the direct descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, both leaders in the suffragette movement

If you missed Part One of this remarkable and timely conversation, please take time to listen here for 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.

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

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

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Justin Forsyth

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Farhana Yamin

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Peter Bakker

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WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development

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Sister True Dedication

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Plum Village

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Plum Village has announced its first long-format online course, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet. Launching in late spring 2023, sharing Thich Nhat Hanh’s engaged Buddhism teachings with a wide audience, nurturing insight, compassion, community, and mindful action in service of the Earth and bringing to life teachings in Thich Nhat Hanh’s book, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet.

Helen Pankhurst, women’s rights activist and Senior Advisor, CARE International

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CARE International

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