Optimism is not a mood. It’s a courageous choice — and some weeks, it’s harder than ever to make.

Right now, as the devastation in Jamaica reminds us yet again of how climate change magnifies injustice and loss, it can feel almost impossible to hold on to hope. Yet that’s when it matters most. If we don't have hope, there is no reason to act: yet we know the science is clear that our actions matter.

In this week’s Talking Climate newsletter, I’m honored to feature kindred spirit Anne Therese Gennari — author of The Climate Optimist Handbook and founder of The Climate Optimist — who says that optimism isn’t naïve. Instead, she writes, it is “not merely a mindset or an attitude; it’s a lifestyle choice. In my opinion, one should choose to be radically optimistic or not be radical at all.”

When so much feels beyond our control, she reminds us that choosing to keep showing up is itself a radical act. Our actions, however small, make a difference: they build character, plant cultural seeds, and connect us to community.

Even on the hardest weeks, when the headlines break our hearts, choosing hope means choosing each other, and the future we still have the power to shape.

Find the Climate Optimist Cohort here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

The Middle East is warming twice as fast as the globe thanks in no small part to its own oil + gas emissions—but from youth activists to engineers, people here are proving that even in the hottest places, change is happening.

Last week I was in Abu Dhabi for the IUCN World Conservation Congress, where thousands gathered to build a livable future for people, nature, and climate. This week's newsletter shares what I learned there!

🌞 Good News: The UAE has set a 2050 net zero target, plans to triple renewables by 2030, and is building a 5-GW solar plant. It’s also the first Middle Eastern country requiring companies to measure and reduce emissions, and is restoring its lands and oceans for conservation and climate resilience.

🌪️ Not-So-Good News: The Middle East is warming twice as fast as the global average, driven in no small part by the fossil fuels it produces. Floods and deadly heat are increasing, and migrant workers often bear the brunt.

🌱 Inspiration: From the Arab Youth Climate Movement to engineers restoring fragile ecosystems, people across the region are proving that hope and action go hand in hand.

Don't forget to share what you learn with others! Most people in most countries around the world don't even have a conversation about climate change once in a while. You can change that.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

Adam Met, this week's guest editor, combines social science expertise with musical success to catalyze climate action.

Through his Amplify project at Planet Reimagined, Adam shows how artists can mobilize millions for climate action. On AJR’s 2024 tour, over 35,000 fans took real steps — from signing petitions to calling elected officials. Now they're expanding this initiative to include artists from Billie Eilish to Tyler Childers.

As Adam writes, solving climate change isn’t about individual acts alone, but collective action. Together with Planet Reimagined, he's drafted a blueprint for this new philosophy that proposes a new way of embedding collective actions into daily life.

Find Planet Reimagined here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

This month, we lost one of the world’s greatest advocates for people and nature.

When I was a child, she was the first scientist I ever saw on screen — a young woman in Africa, working with chimpanzees. Decades later, I met her backstage at the Paris climate talks: still tireless, still hopeful, still reminding us that “only when our clever brain and our human heart work together in harmony can we achieve our true potential.”

Even in her final days, Dr. Jane Goodall was urging us not to give up, and now her legacy lives on through the countless voices she inspired — scientists, faith leaders, and citizens alike — to act with courage, lead with kindness, and never lose hope.

The best way to honour her? Do what Jane told us to do: believe that what you do makes a difference — and then do it.

Find Jane's interview with Forbes at NYC Climate Week here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

At Climate Week NYC, the message was clear: progress is underway. What stood out most to me was the shared spirit of determination and collaboration. While none of us can do this alone, the number of people who are committed to tackling climate together is growing every day.

🌍 Good News: At the UN Climate Summit I had the honour of opening with Johan Rockström and António Guterres, over 100 nations -- including China -- announced new and more ambitious emissions cuts.

⚠️ Not so good news: While the world races ahead on clean energy and climate finance, the U.S. risks higher costs at home and losing global leadership.

💡 What you can do: Check out SHIFT, a new tool from Project Drawdown and Kimberly Nicholas. With just a few clicks, it helps you find your “climate superpower” and take the most impactful actions for change. Check it out: you might be surprised!

Check out SHIFT here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

This week’s Talking Climate is guest-edited by physicist David Baker from Austin College. David is a NASA exoplanet researcher and professor whose work inspires students and communities to connect the cosmos back to our own remarkable planet.

🪐 Good news: We've now discovered over 6,000 exoplanets, from “eyeball planets” with oceans ringed by ice to worlds with two suns like Star Wars’ Tatooine. These discoveries deepen our understanding of what makes Earth uniquely habitable!

🌍 Not so good news: Out of thousands of exoplanets discovered, not one truly matches Earth’s recipe: the right materials, the right size, the right orbit, and the right kind of star. Earth is rare, precious, and irreplaceable. There is no Planet B.

🔭 What you can do: Protecting our unique home starts with valuing science and nurturing awe. Support organizations advancing climate and space research. Visit an observatory or stargaze in your own backyard. Experiencing wonder connects us to the bigger picture—and reminds us exactly what we’re fighting to preserve.

Check out David's website here.

Find Space Chip's video here.

Find an astronomy club here.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate.

Music by Bradley Myer.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca