Christiana Figueres: How Can We Choose Optimism — Even In The Darkest Times?

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Climate Mindset

In 2015, Christiana Figueres helped pave the path to the historic Paris Agreement. She says more than ever we need stubborn optimism — a gritty, determined choice to make change because we have to.

About Christiana Figueres

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican diplomat who was the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010-2016. During her tenure at the UNFCCC, she brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations and activists, financial institutions and NGOs to jointly deliver the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which 195 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming.

Figueres is also a founding partner of Global Optimism, a group focused on social and environmental change. She recently co-authored The Future We Choose and cohosts the weekly podcast Outrage and Optimism with Tom Rivett-Carnac.

She also currently serves as Convenor of Mission 2020, Vice-Chair of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, World Bank Climate Leader, ACCIONA Board Member, WRI Board Member, Fellow of Conservation International, and Advisory Board member of Formula E, Unilever and ENI.

Previously, Figueres served as Director of Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA), and in 1995 founded the non-profit Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA), which she directed for eight years. [Copyright 2020 NPR]