Rebecca Willis is a a researcher with twenty years’ experience in environment and sustainability policy and practice, at international, national and local level. She is Professor in Energy and Climate Governance at Lancaster University (uni profile, personal website, Twitter). 

Her research group is Climate Citizens, which aims to "change how people engage with the creation of climate policy. We want to transform climate policy from something that happens to people, to something that happens with people."

Theme: crafting a proper negotiated social contract between people in the state around climate, through experiments, action and advice. THere's something for everyone to do in that, from being an activist, voting through to talking with your neighbours.

Links

Green Alliance

Sustainable Development Commission

Prof Catherine Mitchell

Jim Skea

Michael Marmot

Rebecca's book "Too Hot to Handle? The Democratic Challenge of Cliamte Change" (Highly recommended!)

UK Climate Assembly

Leeds Climate Commission

UK Government 'British energy security strategy'

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres "the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels."

Timings

0:49 - Q1 What are you doing now? And how did you get there?

3:08 - BONUS QUESTION: Why do a doctorate? 

5:21 - BONUS QUESTION: What were your findings on how MPs understand and act on climate change, and what can be done about that?

7:56 - Q2. What is the future you are trying to create, and why?

10:03 - BONUS QUESTION: Are there illustrations or hotspots of activity in the renegotiation of the social contract between people and the state on climate?

14:31 - BONUS QUESTION: Is the pathological aversion to engaging people on climate regardless of political stripe (and embedded in the mechanics of the state) or is it a feature of ideology, of wanting a small state where markets deliver all the solutions?

19:49 - Q3. What are your priorities for the next few years, and why?

28:06 - BONUS QUESTION: Are the things which you find yourself shying away from how do you how do you use that academic place, but also keep on retaining the authority that comes with it?

30:10 - Q4. If someone was inspired to follow those priorities, what should they do next?

32:45 - Q5. If your younger self was starting their career now, what advice would you give them?

Q6. Who would you nominate to answer these questions, because you admire their approach?

33:58 - Q7. Is there anything else important you feel you have to say?


Quotes and more here

Twitter: Powerful_Times

Website hub: here.

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Thank you for listening! -- David