We're back with a new season!

Dear Stubborn Optimist,

As we head into the whirlwind of events and meetings that is the United Nations General Assembly, The Summit of the Future and Climate Week NYC, stay tuned to Outrage and Optimism for expert insights, conversation and community.??

OUTRAGE + OPTIMISM: ON THE CALENDAR

This week: Heat, the last UK coal-fired power station to close, positive momentum in business, and a conversation with Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson : marine biologist, conservation strategist, co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab , and author of What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures. Wherever you get your podcasts, tomorrow, Thursday, September 12th.

Special episode: Our hosts chat to David Lammy , UK Foreign Secretary, about climate, security and foreign policy. Recording just ahead of a major speech the Foreign Secretary will deliver next week, this episode will be released outside of our regular schedule as a special. Stay tuned.

Next week: The Climate Pledge is 5 years old. The Pledge is a joint initiative between Global Optimism and Amazon to reach net zero emissions by 2040. Has it made a difference? Join our hosts for an honest look at what the Pledge has achieved, and an insider's view on what it’s like being part of it. Wherever you get your podcasts, Thursday September 19th.

IN OTHER NEWS

Climate impacts are worsening with every fraction of a degree in temperature. The Copernicus Earth Observation Agency recently confirmed this summer as the hottest on record in the Northern hemisphere. According to the agency, August 2024 was 1.51°C above the pre-industrial level, and is the 13th month in a 14-month period for which the global-average surface air temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.?

Forests are some of our best friends when it comes to mitigating high emissions and temperatures because, when functioning well, they act as carbon sinks. Deforestation and forest degradation currently account for approximately 11% of total carbon emissions, with finance playing a significant role.?

Make My Money Matter has been a key campaigner in this area for years, alerting the public to how banks and other financial institutions turn us into accidental investors in sectors which don’t align with our values. Their recent animation collaboration with Jane Goodall and Rewriting Earth , which touches on this, is heart-wrenching and well worth watching.?

Now, thanks to the Finance Sector Deforestation Action (FSDA) initiative, a new set of expectations has been drafted for commercial and investment banks to help them step up and eliminate commodity-driven deforestation, conversion and associated human rights abuses in their lending and investment practices. Is your bank aware of this? Why not ask them to review the FSDA expectations and begin enacting them now.

We don’t have a minute to lose. The future is coming to meet us every moment. Read Christiana’s opinion piece about the upcoming UN Summit of the Future and why it’s so important here .?

If you like this ‘dose of Outrage + Optimism’ and haven’t already, do sign up to our full bi-weekly email newsletter to make sure you’re not just informed about the climate crisis, but also inspired to be part of the changes we all need to make.

In this week's email newsletter you’ll also find:

?? More on what we have in store for the new season of O+O!

?? Tips from the team: what to watch, listen and learn from this week

Thank you for reading.

With stubborn optimism,

The Outrage + Optimism team.

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