Christiana Figueres: The future we choose
We’re in the midst of a climate crisis, so what can we do to ensure our survival?
How we address the Earth’s changing climate in the next 30 years will determine not only the world we live in but the world we will pass on to our children and theirs.
The architect of the Paris Agreement on climate change, former United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, provides us with the options; what governments, corporations and each of us can do to fend off disaster.
Sharing insights from her new book, The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, Figueres explains that we still have the opportunity to not only protect ourselves and the future generations, but actually create a much better world for us all.
Offering 10 practical steps that we can all take today, this talk is essential to transforming the climate change narrative from blame games and political rhetoric, to optimism and purpose-driven action.
This is the final hour; it can be our finest hour.
If you're interested in learning more about what you can do for the environment, Christiana Figueres' The Future We Choose is available from the UNSW Bookshop.
It is the intent, it is the decision, it is the willpower and frankly, the stubborn optimism of individuals that is going to get us onto a path of change.
Photo credit: Prudence Upton
This talk was chaired by Professor Emma Johnston, Dean of the Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, and was presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and is a part of the UNSW Grand Challenge on Thriving in the Anthropocene. Supported by WOMADelaide Planet Talks.
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Christiana Figueres
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Christiana Figueres and Emma Johnston
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Christiana Figueres and Emma Johnston
Christiana Figueres
Christiana Figueres is an internationally recognised leader on global climate change. As the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010–2016, she oversaw the delivery of the historic Paris Agreement of 2015. Since then, together with her co-author for her new book, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Figueres founded Global Optimism, a purpose driven enterprise focused on social and environmental change, under which run various initiatives including the podcast Outrage and Optimism.
Emma Johnston
Professor Emma Johnston AO is a marine scientist at UNSW Sydney and a national advocate for improved environmental management and conservation. Emma studies human impacts in the oceans including pervasive threats such as climate change, plastic pollution, and invasive species. Emma conducts her research in diverse marine environments from the Great Barrier Reef to icy Antarctica and provides management recommendations to industry and government. In recognition of her contributions to environmental science, communications, and management, Emma has received numerous awards including the Australian Academy of Science’s Nancy Millis Medal, the Royal Society of New South Wales Clark Medal, the Eureka prize for Science Communication, and in 2018 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). She is immediate past President of Science & Technology Australia, a current Board Member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Co-Chief Author of the Australian Government’s State of Environment Report 2021. Emma is a high-profile science communicator and television presenter for the ongoing BBC/Foxtel series, Coast Australia and has appeared multiple times on ABC Catalyst, The Drum and Q&A. Emma is currently Dean of Science and Professor of Marine Ecology and Ecotoxicology at UNSW Sydney.
