Climate Truth in Business: Mike Berners-Lee on the National Emergency Briefing

Episode Summary

In this powerful episode of Sustainability Solved, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton speak with Mike Berners-Lee about the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) initiative. Mike explains how this groundbreaking project brings together top experts to communicate the urgent reality of our climate and nature emergency, and outlines how businesses can transform these challenges into opportunities. The conversation explores media misinformation, political inaction, and practical steps businesses can take to thrive in a sustainable future.

Guest

Mike Berners-Lee - Professor at Lancaster University, author, and sustainability expert focused on helping organizations respond appropriately to climate and nature emergencies.

Key Topics

• The National Emergency Briefing initiative and its impact
• Media's role in climate misinformation
• Business opportunities in sustainability transitions
• Food security and the shift to plant-rich diets
• The importance of truth in public discourse
• Positive tipping points in climate action

Key Quotes

• "We're accelerating into a poly crisis at the moment, and it's about a response to that." - Mike Berners-Lee
• "The most important thing to do is to keep the narrative, is to raise the narrative on this. We've got to make it normal to talk about this stuff as though it's a huge deal all the time." - Mike Berners-Lee
• "We can't afford not to do it. Businesses, you need to do your own independent thinking. You need to get clear view of proper facts on this and then you need to be a bit imaginative about working out how that economic business opportunity pans out for you." - Mike Berners-Lee

Resources Mentioned

• National Emergency Briefing website: nebriefing.org
• People's Emergency Briefing film (available from April 7th)
• Mike's book: "A Climate of Truth"
• Fit for the Future business tool

Call to Action

Visit nebriefing.org to watch the nine expert briefings and learn how to host a People's Emergency Briefing event at your business after April 7th.

Mentioned in this episode:

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I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense.

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