From Despair to Optimism on Climate Change

Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres led the global adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, and continues to fight for the climate today in her work with Mission 2020. Working to reduce greenhouse gases globally can be frustrating, she admits, but she chooses optimism over pessimism. She recalls a moment where her attitude shifted, “I many years ago, decided — because it is a decision — that I was going to be optimistic about addressing climate change.” We won’t solve climate change, she says, but we can prepare for a future that will look different than today. She speaks with Jeff Goodell, author of The Water Will Come about how individuals can harness hope and take action as they face the seemingly impossible. The views and opinions of the speakers in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.