There is hope in hell with Jonathon Porritt

Old Fox Young Fox talks to writer, environmental activist and former Director of Friends of the Earth Jonathon Porritt about the climate emergency and why against all the odds, there is still hope.

We trace Jonathon's journey from the activist frontline, to a career in politics, then to founding Forum for the Future, where he saw progress in educating and partnering with the business community on the need to act regarding the climate.

And we discuss his decision to now step back from Forum for the Future and to focus on doing what he can as Chancellor at Keele University and by a more direct role in supporting the next generation of climate activist.

We cover a lot of ground and ask a lot of the tough questions facing our global community including what is the role of civil disobedience in activism? Should we feel guilty at not having done enough or is that energy better used in making small changes to help fight climate change?

About the show:

Old Fox Young Fox is an intergenerational conversation between Jeremy Woolwich and Oliver Happy, one that explores the impacts of a rapidly changing world.

• Check out Ollie's new show: Problem Busters

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Show mentions:

• Book: Hope in Hell by Jonathon Porritt
• Report - The Future of Sustainability: https://www.forumforthefuture.org/new-report-out-now-from-system-shock-to-system-change-its-time-to-transform
• The futures centre: https://thefuturescentre.org/
• Report - Future plates (transforming school lunches in the USA): https://www.forumforthefuture.org/future-plates-transforming-school-lunches-in-the-usa
• 03:05 the big issues are relatively simple
• The intergovernmental panel on climate change
• the green party of new zealand
• rupert murdoch's press empire
• the green party of australia
• 08:00 what net zero 2050 means
• 09:00 what we need to do to carbon emissions by 2030
• 11:00 lots of things are moving in the right direction: a low carbon economy
• the low carbon economy
• investors getting behind the low carbon economy
• world faith and religious organisations backing the environmental movement
• intergenerational injustice
• 16:00, 18:00 Young people are protesting differently. In 2019 both exploded into our midst.
• Greta thunburg
• Extinction rebellion and the School Strikes Movement
• 18.00 The story of climate change now is completely compelling to younger generations. What the world looks like at 1 degree increased.
• intergenerational rage and why young people are engaging in climate activism
• 19:00 the fate of green parties over the years and how we just could have done more
• Donald Trump and an administration that denied climate change
• The Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015 and its role in garnering business support
• Heineken and moving to a carbon neutral supply chain
• 27:30 - 30:30 the transition to EVs (electric vehicles), solar panels
• Mark Carney, former governer of the bank of england
• 70% of india's infrastructure that will be in place in 2030 hasn't yet been built
• Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India and leading the way in the climate debate
• India's debt to the coal economy and how overcoming it could change the direction of climate action - as the world's largest democracy
• 29.00 industrial nations have contributed heavily to the greenhouse gas problem
• China and India's actions being absolutely critical to the climate response
• 32:00, 34:00 Solar power going mainstream as a result of Chinese ingenuity
• India as the world's largest democracy and the role of the state
• Indonesia and Brazil and their governmental approach to climate change
• The city of Shenzhen and the move to electric buses: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/dec/12/silence-shenzhen-world-first-electric-bus-fleet
• 27:00 and the rise of windfarms in china
• China's response to Covid-19 and the speed with which the economy bounced back as an example of how the regime has negotiated the period
• Tibet and the Uighur minority in China
• 41:00 the changes we set in motion have to last and giving up civil liberties is not a long term solution
• Norway and their approach to building on fossil fuels in order to invest in renewables
• Denmark and brilliance in the wind story
• Margaret Thatcher and challenging the Norwegian story of creation of a sovereign wealth fund
• 46:00 The Forum of the future and bridging radical views of society and wealth creators in order to involve big business in the excitement and challenges ahead of us
• Greta Thunberg and doing your homework on climate change
• The world economic forum
• Greta Thunberg and acting as if you really love your children by making changes to your lifestyle
• Episode: Psychopaths at work
• Overcoming the sticking points of batteries and moving beyond cobalt
• 52:00 the green tech brigade and the speed with which technology is advantage
• Green hydrogen and its application to the electrolysis of water
• Boris Johnson and the 10 point plan
• The UK and leadership in offshore wind and brilliant engineering
• Friends of the Earth
• The Earth Summit of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro
• 57:00 Forum for the future and investing time in working with business
• Nuclear power and the need to cease production
• Extinction Rebellion and their future being very bright
• The case that has to be made for civil disobedience as a way to bring change
• The climate movement in Bristol
• The emergence of the environmental justice movement in the USA and the UK
• 1:02:00 the convergence of racial equality, climate justice and the link
• Book: The good ancestor by Roman Krznaric
• Short-termism and the need for long term thinking
• The golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you

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About our guest:

Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder of Forum for the Future, is an eminent writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development. Established in 1996, Forum for the Future is now the UK’s leading sustainable development charity. The Forum has a growing presence in the United States, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Jonathon has recently released his book Hope in Hell, is Chancellor for Keele University and has been a strong advocate for the Green movement for several decades.

• Website: www.jonathonporritt.com

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Related episodes:

• Ethical design with Cennyd Bowles
• Gamification who is keeping score with Toby Beresford
• Connecting the dots on the circular economy with Peter Desmond

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Social promo photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

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