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Outrage + Optimism

Persephonica and Global Optimism

300 episodes

Outrage + Optimism is for anyone who is not ready to give up on making the world a better place. For unrivalled conversations with decision makers, visionary thinkers and a community of like-minded climate optimists, join former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, political strategist Tom Rivett-Carnac and sustainable business consultant Paul Dickinson. Each week they make sense of all the top climate news stories, go behind the scenes at crucial talks and ensure you stay informed and inspired ahead of what is set to be the consequential year for climate action.

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Episodes page 2 of 6

  1. Inside COP: Friday Night in Belém - uncertainty in the Blue Zone

    · 38 min · S12 E23

    We recorded this episode across Friday afternoon and deep into the evening inside the Blue Zone at COP30. At the time of publishing, there is still no final deal. The negotiations are ongoing, positions are shifting,…

  2. Inside COP: Friday Morning in Belém - what’s changed and why it matters

    · 16 min · S12 E22

    It’s Friday morning in Belém and COP30 is moving fast. After yesterday’s fire and the overnight closure of the venue, the Brazilian Presidency worked through the night and released a new draft text early this morning.…

  3. Inside COP: Fire at COP30 - and the work still to be done

    · 13 min · S12 E21

    Today was not meant to be this episode. At around 2pm local time, a fire broke out near the country pavilions, triggering the full evacuation of the Blue Zone. As COP30 entered its final stretch, we’d planned to…

  4. Inside COP: Storms in Belém - Lula’s arrival, the carbon tariff debate, and the COP31 decision

    · 38 min · S12 E20

    We’re approaching crunch time in Belém, and a long-running COP30 saga may finally have found its landing spot. After days of rumour, diplomacy and thunderous rainforest downpours, the question of who will host COP31…

  5. Inside COP: China, India… and the Text on the Table

    · 45 min · S12 E19

    It’s the middle of week two at COP30, and the negotiations are entering their crunch phase. A draft cover text has finally landed, ministers are on the ground, and the presidency is pushing hard to close before Lula…

  6. Inside COP: Coal’s Out, Pressure’s On - a pivotal moment for COP30

    · 41 min · S12 E18

    It’s getting hot in the COP. Executive Secretary Simon Stiell turned up the pressure in Belém on Monday, sharpening his message as ministers arrived for what is often the most charged phase of the summit. He called…

  7. Inside COP: The fight for the Amazon

    · 45 min · S12 E17

    As ministers arrive in Belém for the crucial second week of COP30, forests move from the backdrop of the summit to the main stage. Protests began at dawn on Friday and have continued through the weekend - among them,…

  8. Inside COP: Al Gore on Fossil Fuel Lobbying and (In)convenient Truths

    · 57 min · S12 E16

    It’s the mid-point of COP30 and all four of our hosts have gathered in Belém to take stock. In the Blue Zone, the mood is its usual blend of high-stakes and surreal. The Presidency is calling its consultations a…

  9. Inside COP: The UN’s Top Climate Official on Week One of COP30

    · 42 min · S12 E15

    Christiana Figueres takes us behind the scenes at the UNFCCC offices to speak to the man who now holds her old job as Executive Secretary. As week one of the negotiations nears its end, Simon Stiell explains the quiet…

  10. Inside COP: Protests at COP30 - and the reality of Indigenous representation

    · 39 min · S12 E14

    At a COP meant to centre the Amazon, some Indigenous voices have found themselves on the outside. On Tuesday night, what began as a vibrant street march ended in a dramatic breach of the Blue Zone, as Indigenous…

  11. Inside COP: Is The US Still In? And Gavin Newsom on ‘invasive species’ Trump

    · 37 min · S12 E13

    Day three of COP30, and there’s one elephant not in the room. While there are plenty of United States citizens at this COP, for the first time, there are no US delegates. Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and…

  12. Inside COP: Brazil's Climate Leadership - the COP30 host takes centre stage

    · 43 min · S12 E12

    What is Brazil trying to achieve with COP30? It's Day Two in Belém and all eyes are on the host nation. Join Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac as they unpack how the country is shaping the first days of COP30…

  13. Inside COP: The COP30 President Speaks, the Summit Begins

    · 39 min · S12 E11

    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…

  14. Inside COP: Ed Miliband on Multilateralism, Leadership and the UK’s Climate Dilemma

    · 36 min · S12 E10 · Explicit

    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.…

  15. Inside COP: World Leaders Gather in Belém - with Jacinda Ardern and Selwin Hart

    · 43 min · S12 E9

    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…

  16. Inside COP: The Power of Cities - from the Local Leaders Forum

    · 37 min · S12 E8

    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…

  17. Inside the Earthshot Prize 2025: Royal Vision, Real Change

    · 44 min · S12 E7

    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…

  18. Inside COP: Looking for a Plan in Finance - the trillion dollar transition

    · 39 min · S12 E6

    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…

  19. Inside COP: Teaming Up for the Planet - The Global Mutirão

    · 45 min · S12 E5

    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…

  20. Inside COP: The New World Order - power, politics and the green pie

    · 38 min · S12 E4

    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…

  21. Inside COP: A New Economy Rising - from promises to progress

    · 47 min · S12 E3

    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…

  22. Remembering Jane Goodall

    · 37 min · Bonus

    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…

  23. Inside COP: How to Build a COP

    · 49 min · S12 E2

    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…

  24. Inside COP: The countdown to COP30 at New York Climate Week

    · 1 h 01 min · S12 E1

    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,…

  25. From Courtrooms to Statehouses: The US Climate Pushback

    · 1 h 06 min · S11 E37

    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,…

  26. Beyond the Bad News: Evidence for Climate Optimism

    · 44 min · S11 E36

    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…

  27. Rising Tides: How indigenous communities are facing the climate crisis

    · 58 min · S11 E35

    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…

  28. Listening to the Living World: Can AI help us hear the planet?

    · 58 min · S11 E34

    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…

  29. Introducing: Inside COP - the Official COP30 Podcast from Outrage + Optimism

    · 4:43 · Trailer

    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…

  30. You Are What You Eat: Soil, Seeds and Social Justice

    · 45 min · S11 E33

    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?…

  31. Too Hot to Handle?: Facing a Future Beyond 1.5°C

    · 54 min · S11 E32

    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…

  32. Mistakes, Mistruths and Misinformation: Climate's biggest myths debunked

    · 52 min · S11 E31 · Explicit

    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…

  33. Trump’s War on Climate - and Maggie Baird on food justice and plant-based touring with Billie Eilish

    · 56 min · S11 E30 · Explicit

    As record heat scorches the US, Trump’s government is making things dramatically worse. We break down the devastating implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the reversal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s…

  34. *Breaking Planetary News*: The ICJ Climate Opinion Explained

    · 53 min · S11 E29

    “An Existential Problem of Planetary Proportions” International Court of Justice President Yuji Iwasawa just delivered a landmark advisory opinion on climate change and human rights - one that could transform global…

  35. Planes, Protests, Pensions... and have banks given up on saving the planet?

    · 58 min · S11 E28

    Can a pilot really be the change-maker who helps us to holiday nearer home? Why aren’t governments and institutions doing more to help climate activists? And can climate progress happen without sacrificing prosperity,…

  36. From Outrage to Action: Your Questions, Our Answers

    · 56 min · S11 E27

    We’re handing the mic over to you on this week’s Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast. In this special Q&A episode, Christiana Figueres, Paul Dickinson and guest host Fiona McRaith (Director of The Climate Pledge…

  37. The Climate Case of the Century: Inside the story of a youth-led legal movement

    · 56 min · S11 E26

    In a world-first, the International Court of Justice is preparing to deliver an advisory opinion on climate change and human rights - all thanks to a youth-led campaign that began thousands of miles from The Hague, in…

  38. O+O Recommends: 'When Science Finds A Way'

    · 5:50 · Bonus

    Last episode, we explored the urgent connection between climate and health, and brought you a powerful and timely conversation with Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of the Wellcome Trust.…

  39. Health Warning: The Human Cost of Climate Inaction with Julia Gillard

    · 39 min · S11 E25

    Scientists warn that the world could breach its 1.5°C emissions limit within just 2-3 years. It’s a scary thought, but across the globe, many are grappling with an even more immediate and visceral reality: the climate…

  40. Could This Change Your Life?: The Climate Tech Revolution

    · 55 min · S11 E24

    While climate diplomacy grapples with global uncertainty, there’s a quiet revolution happening that may be just as important - thousands of breakthrough technologies and creative applications that are emerging to…

  41. Hope for the High Seas?: Sylvia Earle and Oceans on the World Stage

    · 45 min · S11 E23

    World leaders, scientists and ocean advocates are gathering in Nice for the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) and hopes are high that progress can be made on some of the many pressing issues facing our seas - from…

  42. COP30: Can Brazil deliver a global breakthrough?

    · 59 min · S11 E22

    This November, Brazil will host COP30 in Belém, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, in what is bound to be a moment packed with symbolism, high expectations, and global significance. This week, Christiana Figueres,…

  43. Sovereignty and Survival: A Spotlight on Vanuatu

    · 1 h 03 min · S11 E21

    How far would you go to protect your home? In this week’s special episode, Christiana Figueres brings us a deeply personal and political dispatch from Vanuatu - a country on the frontlines of the climate crisis and at…

  44. When Business Is Political: Climate commitments in an age of backlash

    · 54 min · S11 E20

    As the US federal government drifts further into anti-climate rhetoric and abandons its national and international commitments, can non-state actors hold the line? With Christiana Figueres away in Vanuatu, Tom…

  45. The Spanish Grid Goes Down: Are renewables really to blame?

    · 45 min · S11 E19

    On April 28th, millions of people across Spain, Portugal and beyond were plunged into darkness in one of Europe’s most severe blackouts in decades. Was it a cyberattack? A renewables failure? Or might things be a…

  46. Technology vs Transition?: What Tony Blair gets right - and wrong - about net zero

    · 53 min · S11 E18

    Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says that net zero is politically unachievable without radical rethinking: a shift away from reducing consumption and toward technologies that can remove carbon both at the source…

  47. Beyond the ‘Climate Wars’?: Australia heads to the polls

    · 44 min · S11 E17

    Australia heads to the polls this weekend - with climate firmly on the ballot. Is the country ready to lose its reputation as the battleground of the climate wars? And are we about to see a lasting shift in a nation…

  48. The End of Oil? Inside the Hidden Decline of Fossil Fuels | Earth Day Special

    · 55 min · S11 E16

    Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for fossil fuels? This Earth Day, Outrage + Optimism explores a seismic shift in global energy: the possibility that major oil and gas companies are entering a self-managed…

  49. The Death of Pope Francis: A Short Message from Christiana

    · 6:08 · Bonus

    In the wake of this morning’s sad announcement about the death of Pope Francis, Christiana Figueres reflects on his important legacy as a champion for environmental and justice causes, and shares some of the late…

  50. China's Decarbonisation Leadership: Is Trump (accidentally) fueling Beijing's climate takeover?

    · 54 min · S11 E15

    As the US retreats from international climate leadership and looks increasingly inwards, can China step up and steer the global energy transition? And if it can, what shape will that transition take? In the latest of…

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