Is Canada a climate leader or a fossil-fueled dinosaur? And what will the recent ascension of Mark Carney as Prime Minister mean for the country’s climate agenda - both domestically and on the world stage?

In the second of our country deep-dives, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac speak with Catherine McKenna, Canada’s former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to discuss the mixed history, uncertain present and possible futures of the nation’s climate record.

As Canada’s representative at the COP 21 negotiations in Paris, Catherine set the tone for the decade that has followed, during which time the country has increasingly engaged in international climate leadership. Back home, she also spearheaded an innovative carbon pricing system, which, though not always popular, attempted to shift the nation away from its fossil fuel dependency while delivering an economic net benefit for most Canadians.

While former Bank of England and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney has become widely known as a climate progressive, his first act in office was to end this carbon tax, leading many to question how his climate ideals will fare in the face of political reality. Catherine reflects on why the tax was scrapped, and the lessons that must be learned if we are to defend climate action.

Along with Paul Dickinson, Christiana and Tom consider the challenges facing former Outrage + Optimism guest Carney as he takes the helm of one of the G20’s highest emitters, and ask if we’re witnessing a wider backlash against corporate net zero commitments.

Learn more

📚Read: U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s letter seeking information about the Department of Justice and FBI investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the reported freezing of grant money awarded from that fund.

🏭 Mark Carney’s statement on his decision to scrap the carbon tax

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Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks

Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan

Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford

Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas

This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can the law be used to champion human rights, drive progress and fight for climate justice? Paul Dickinson is joined by Laura Clarke, CEO of ClientEarth, the non-profit lawyers for the planet working to protect life on Earth.

Laura shares how ClientEarth has successfully challenged corporate greenwashing, from the Dutch courts ruling against airline KLM for misleading customers, to forcing a Polish company to change the misleading name of its ‘eco-pea coal’. And beyond corporate accountability, how they take on national governments to ensure they uphold their environmental commitments.

In this latest in our series on the new levers of change, co-presenters Tom Rivett-Carnac and Christiana Figueres join Paul to reflect on the ways in which law, climate and justice intersects. Christiana shares her excitement on the new ways in which the ‘web of jurisprudence’ is being woven in a field with little legal precedent.

Plus, each share their take on the news that former Outrage + Optimism guest Mark Carney will become the next Prime Minister of Canada. How will he deal with President Trump amid the ongoing US-Canada trade war?

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💼 ClientEarth case study: KLM Greenwashing found illegal

https://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/we-re-joining-legal-action-against-dutch-airline-klm-for-greenwashing/

📖 Read more about ClientEarth https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/client-earth-james-thornton/3713181?ean=9781911344810

⚖️ Learn about how young people are taking action in court https://www.kcl.ac.uk/climate-law/assets/climatechangeandyoungpeople-shortversion.pdf

🛢️ Find out how big oil’s campaign financing for Donald Trump’s re-election may have prevented a congressional investigation

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/big-oil-investigation-congress-republicans

Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:

Instagram @outrageoptimism

LinkedIn @outrageoptimism

Or get in touch with us via this form.

Producer: Jarek Zaba

Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan

Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford

Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas

This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are women the key to solving the climate crisis? Why are they - and children - so disproportionately affected by the issue? And how can men step up to support change?

To mark International Women’s Day, Christiana Figueres is joined by top climate scientist Dr Katharine Hayhoe.

As well as being Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair at Texas Tech University, Katharine is an influential voice in communicating science at the ‘kitchen table’ level. She and Christiana reflect on the barriers women face in STEM roles, Katharine’s work with Science Moms highlights the impact of the crisis on children and the power of women in conversations about the climate.

Women make up just over a third of STEM professionals in the United States and only a quarter of earth science professors globally. In an era where diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being rolled back by President Donald Trump’s government, there’s never been a more urgent need for diverse voices in science. Leading data scientist Hannah Ritchie asks how we communicate in this new landscape.

Plus, Katharine shares how her Evangelical Christian faith fuels—rather than conflicts with—her climate work, as she and Christiana they celebrate how love can be the driving force for all genders to unite for climate justice.

Together with Christiana, co-hosts Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson reflect on why diverse perspectives lead to better solutions and ask how men can support greater gender equality in STEM. Throughout, we hear from incredible women worldwide with inspiring messages for International Women’s Day. From Pat Mitchell and her work on Project Dandelion to Natalie Isaacs of 1 Million Women - plus a rallying cry from Fabian Dattner of Homeward Bound.

Learn more

📺 Watch the Science Moms campaign ad broadcast during the Superbowl

🗣️ Read the Science Moms guide on how to talk about climate change with friends, family, or strangers

🤩 Be inspired by Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk

📩 And check out our newsletter!

Follow us on social media for behind the scenes moments and to watch our videos:

Instagram @outrageoptimism

LinkedIn @outrageoptimism

Or get in touch with us via this form.

Producer: Jarek Zaba

Video Producer: Caitlin Hanrahan

Exec Producer: Ellie Clifford

Commissioning Editor: Sarah Thomas

This is a Persephonica production for Global Optimism and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.