In Conversation with Christiana Figueres
3 years, 9 months, 6 days, 17 hours
15 October 2025
I have deep faith in humanity.
Christiana Figueres is one of the world’s most respected leaders. A diplomat from Costa Rica, in 2010 she was appointed as Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and worked tirelessly in negotiating with governments around the world to build support for what became the 2015 Paris Agreement, the flagship international treaty on climate change.
Her subsequent book, co-authored with Tom-Rivett-Carnac, ’The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis', makes the case for the importance of optimism. So when I spoke with Christiana, I wanted to explore what drives her own optimism, and indeed how much confidence she still holds today that the world will do what is necessary, and at sufficient pace.
Christiana is thoughtful and reflective. Her optimism is in the capacity of humanity to understand and to adapt, and to want to protect what we have. But when I press her on whether it will be enough, she responds ’maybe’, which she then defines as ’the space between desperation and guarantee’.
Ultimately Christiana believes it is incumbent on every individual to do what they can. And she continues personally to set the example, co-hosting the podcast Outrage and Optimism to inform, influence and try to lead the world to indeed protect what we have.