Great panel discussion and Q and A session at the Oxford Martin School this evening (the panel are pictured above and the event is featured, with video, at - 
http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/event/2312

As Planetary CFO, I asked if we are being radical enough in finding solutions to the various challenges facing the global commons - oceans, biodiversity, medicines (especially antibiotics), climate and clean energy.  Panelists displayed a range of levels of optimism or pessimism that solutions will be found in required timescales (for example to achieve net zero carbon in time to prevent cataclysmic climate change). 

I'm inclined to have similar optimism to Professor Angela McLean.  I think we live an a very exciting time.  50 or 100 years from now people will look back on this time as one that unleashed human energy, inventiveness and compassion to drive a great transition to a sustainable world, and one where the vast majority of people thrive rather than just the few with power, privilege, wealth.

 

Barbara Hammond (Low Carbon Hub), Gemma Adams (Forum for the Future) - both pictured above - and Mike Barry (Marks & Spencer) gave thought-provoking talks about this topic this evening at the Said Business School and then led discussions.  Fascinating glimpse into the minds of people in big business and of people working to encourage local community-owned renewable energy generation, and a range of topics surrounding these.  
It was good to chat afterwards in unstructured conversations, eg to share ideas about what a sustainable zero-net-carbon world might look like, in Oxfordshire and beyond.