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 at Global Optimism) respond to thought-provoking questions from listeners around the world. They consider the future of the COP model, whether the Pacific concept of vā may offer a better way to think about our local and global relationships, what a multipolar world might mean for climate diplomacy, and much more. Plus, friend of the show Nigel Topping (Founder of Ambition Loop) helps to explain why UK electricity prices are tied to gas - and how we can fix it.

From the philosophical to the practical, this is a wide-ranging conversation about where climate progress is stalling, where it’s surging forward, and how global cooperation might evolve in the years ahead.

Learn more

Listen back to episodes referenced in this Q&A, including:

⏳ Momentum vs Perfection, where Fiona joins Tom to explore different theories of change within the climate movement.

✊🏽 The Climate Case of the Century, where Cynthia Houniuhi shares her story of how the landmark ICJ case came to be.

🌿 Sovereignty and Survival: A Spotlight on Vanuatu, where Christiana reports back on her time in the South Pacific.

🤝 COP30: Can Brazil deliver a global breakthrough?, where Tom brings back the latest from Belém ahead of this year's COP.

🌎 Other episodes exploring the shifting geopolitics of climate, including deep dives on China, Australia and Canada

🎤 Leave us your 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

Additional production: Miriam Hall

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.

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 the Pacific Islands.

This week, we look inside that extraordinary campaign, and hear the story of Cynthia Houniuhi, who - as a young law student from the Solomon Islands - helped launch the movement that would ultimately unite over 130 countries behind a single goal. Now, six years after this idea began in a law classroom, the world’s highest court is set to weigh in on the responsibility of states to protect current and future generations from climate harm.

Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson reflect on the power of legal activism, the role of youth leadership, and what this landmark case could mean for the future of international climate law.

Learn more

⚖️ Read more information about the ICJ climate case on the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change website

🛏️ We’ve been told that the platforms QuintoAndar and ZAP Imóveis may be useful for booking accommodation in Belém. Please note that we don’t have any direct experience of them, so we do not and cannot recommend them personally. We encourage you to take the usual precautions when making any arrangements.

🎤 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.

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.

Today, we want to recommend a show that those who enjoyed that episode are likely to love. When Science Finds A Way is a brilliant podcast from the Wellcome Trust that highlights how science is changing lives around the world. In the short clip here, we hear how something as simple as a cool roof - a special reflective paint - is helping communities stay safe from extreme heat.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: Cool roofs: homes fit for a hotter world

🔗 Follow the podcast: on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your shows, and learn more about it here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.