175. COP27: A Little Less Conversation, A Lot More (Climate) Action

Welcome to another episode of Outrage + Optimism! Co-hosts Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, and Paul Dickinson catch up on the whirlwind political news from the last few weeks. They cover the defeat of Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro by former president (and prisoner) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva aka “Lula,” the upcoming COP27, and the U.S. midterm elections. First up, Brazil. The news of Lula’s presidential win is a victory for the planet. Deforestation skyrocketed under Bolsonaro but declined under Lula’s first stint as president. However, it won’t be easy to reverse Bolsanaro’s trends. Lula doesn’t have a Congressional majority, and Bolsonaro’s party just picked up a few more legislative seats. What will this mean for Brazil’s regeneration initiatives? Next, the team discusses COP27, the upcoming UN climate conference. This year’s theme will be implementation rather than high-stakes, multi-governmental negotiation. But that has our trio wondering about what that means for the private sector? With $20 trillion in income, they’re essential to hitting net zero targets. What role will they play? On to U.S. and U.K. politics: Republicans一with their climate denial stance一seem poised to win both legislative houses in the upcoming American midterm elections. And across the pond, the U.K. continues to flounder in its ongoing leadership crisis. How does this affect the U.S. and U.K. climate agendas, wealthy western oil companies, or climate finance commitments to developing countries? You won’t want to miss the team’s insights! Finally, enjoy the amazing British-Asian fusion sound of Nikhil Beats with an exclusive performance of his song 'Wisdom ft. Eclipse'.   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 COP27 Participate in the COP27 Civic Imagination Lab – REGISTER HERE   Nikhil Beats Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube   Get Tickets to Nikhil’s Headlining Show in London on Nov 16!   -   Watch Sister True Dedication’s Ted Talk Listen to Sister True Dedication on 10 Percent Happier with Dan Harris