In this round-up of the week, one of the most pessimistic self-described 'alarmists' David Wallace-Wells, concludes that the worst case scenario that fuelled his famous 'the uninhabitable earth' arguments is now unlikely to happen. 

Nike is sued by transgender engineer Jazz Lyles for failing to use the right pronouns. 

And Timothy Litzenburg, the man who helped sue Monsanto, is allegedly caught trying to blackmail other companies for 200 million dollars. 

00:32 David Wallace-Wells and the growing rejection of RCP8.5 

06:58 Nike sued for failing to ensure employees use the right pronouns 

11:07 Lawyer who won suit against Monsanto arrested for extortion 

14:10 Things that I like 

The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility. 

References and links 

David Wallace-Wells article http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/1... 

‘A 3C world is now ‘business as usual’ https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/en... https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerpie... 

New York Times article based on RCP 8.5 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/cl... 

'Things that I like' 

The French Brexit Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPLe9... 

@potholer54 latest video 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QCBD...

According to reports, we’re facing the beepocalypse. Pollinators are dying out, and the result will be much of our food will disappear with bee extinction. If true, it’s seriously worrying. But is it true? Let’s have a look. 

The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility. 

References 

00:56 https://www.greatoldbroads.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/44/Winfree-2010.pdf 01:14 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8414 

02:35 https://abcnews.go.com/US/40-decline-honey-bee-population-winter-unsustainable-experts/story?id=64191609 03:08 https://beeinformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018_2019-Abstract.pdf

04:27 https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/october/despite-elevated-loss-rate-since-2006-us-honey-bee-colony-numbers-are-stable/ 

04:47 http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QA/visualize 

05:07 https://beeinformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018_2019-Abstract.pdf 

05:20 https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/october/despite-elevated-loss-rate-since-2006-us-honey-bee-colony-numbers-are-stable/ 

06:20 https://adventuresinbeeland.com/2019/01/14/how-many-honey-bees-are-there-a-2019-update/ 

06:39 https://www.greatoldbroads.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/44/Winfree-2010.pdf 06:54 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8414 

08:52 https://www.pnas.org/content/110/12/4656.full 

9:50 https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/ 

10:38 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-07290-w 

11:45 http://pesticideblog.lawbc.com/entry/epa-releases-final-policy-to-address-acute-risks-to-bees-from-pesticides-an 

12:21 https://risk-monger.blogactiv.eu/2014/09/30/the-save-the-bees-ban-failed-crops-and-another-precautionary-fail-who-is-to-blame/#.VDt5hufq37L 

13:09 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/07/30/the-world-faces-pollinator-collapse-how-and-why-the-media-get-the-science-wrong-time-and-again/ 

13:58 https://ipbes.net/assessment-reports/pollinators 

14:22 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/12/pollinator-myth-bees-responsible-one-third-global-food-heightening-crisis-like-7/ 

14:44 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/07/30/the-world-faces-pollinator-collapse-how-and-why-the-media-get-the-science-wrong-time-and-again/

In this episode, I talk to Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland Foods. Richard has become one of the most recognisable faces of sustainable business in the UK, leading campaigns on palm oil, plastics and even debating Brexit on BBC Question Time.

In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is, and what he’s learned along the way. We dive into some of the issues – why ban palm oil from Iceland own products rather than going for sustainable palm oil? How to remove plastics from food products when there are such difficult trade-offs? And what is the future of sustainable business, where we successfully balance the business bottom line with its wider impact.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Richard Walker when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:46)

Links

Books

In this episode, I talk to Amy Clarke, co-founder and chief impact officer at Tribe Impact Capital, the award-winning wealth management firm and BCorp.

Before her current role, Amy has been senior vice president for international CSR at Bank of America, and head of CSR UK for Microsoft.

In this interview, we talk about how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way. We talk about the sustainability challenges for the finance system, and who makes up the growing body of successful people who want their money to have an impact in line with their values.

Amy is a thoughtful and highly experienced observer of the current trends and we had a great conversation.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Amy? (1:45)

Links

Amy on Twitter

Books

The Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis

In this episode, I talk to Anna Cain, chief executive of the Boxing Academy, a unique and groundbreaking school for the most hard-to-reach young people, realised through the discipline and ethos of boxing.

Anna is also an advisory board member for Feltham Young Offenders institution, a trustee of the campus educational trust and a trustee of chefs in schools.

In this interview, we talk about her remarkable story of how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way. We talk about successful educational approaches to young people who, for whatever reason, are failed by the mainstream system, and why the Boxing Academy has been so successful in making a difference to that particularly vulnerable group.

Anna is an inspiring figure, and we just had a fantastic conversation. I think you’ll get a huge amount from it

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Anna when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:45)

Links

The Boxing Academy website http://www.theboxingacademy.co.uk

In this episode, I talk to Giles Gibbons, founder and chief executive of Good Business, as well as founder of the sustainable restaurant association.

Giles has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable business for well over two decades, and has a wealth of experience in what really needs to happen on the ground to make a difference.

In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is and what he learned along the way. We talk about the future of sustainable business, how Giles got hands on experience running an ethical restaurant, and what we think about the role that government does or doesn’t have to play in encouraging healthier lifestyles. Plus I ask him one question I have never asked anyone else, which might give you a very direct action point you want to try out. So without further ado, let’s jump straight in.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Giles Gibbons when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:50)

Links

Books

In this episode, I talk to Brendan May, chairman and founder of Robertsbridge, the sustainability strategy agency.

Brendan was formerly chief executive of the Marine Stewardship Council, and then managing director of Planet 2050, Weber Shandwick’s global sustainability practice.

In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is and what he learned along the way. We talk about effective campaigning in an era of polarised politics, sustainability and climate change and a range of other very current issues.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Brendan May when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:42)

Links

Brendan on twitter https://twitter.com/bmay

Books

Everything is Connected: The Power of Music, Daniel Barenboim https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-Connected-Power-Daniel-Barenboim/dp/0753825945/

This episode is a rather different type of discussion to the usual ones I have on this podcast. Many of you will know that I do commentary videos on YouTube, and on some of those I have been strongly critical of the Extinction Rebellion group, and particularly its core organisers.

We debate these issues with vigour because they are important. However, my preference is always that we can do so as a respectful discussion rather than standing at opposite extremes and shouting at each other, which sadly seems to have become the norm for political discourse at the moment.

So I reached out to Roger Hallam, one of the co-founders of the group and the man most responsible for their early overall strategy, to see if he would be willing to discuss the group, its objectives, and some of our points of disagreement for this podcast.

Lots of people in his position would have told someone who had been so critical to get on their bike, so I think it is enormously positive that we were able to come together and make it happen.

We talk about where Extinction Rebellion came from, and what are its objectives. We cover a range of tough questions in a pretty frank and open way. We weren’t aiming to win the argument, but to explore the challenges. I think it ended up as an important and engaging conversation.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Roger Hallam when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (3:32)

Links

Roger Hallam’s website https://www.rogerhallam.com

My critiques of the group

Why Extinction Rebellion is hurting not working https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJAVduIIYcI

Extinction Rebellion – the bit almost nobody knows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2WNssoDJ2E

In this episode, I talk to Anna Dixon, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, the charity working to create a society where everyone enjoys a good later life.

Anna has spent her life working at the interface of research, policy and practice. She has been director of strategy at the department of health, as well as a number of health policy related roles at the Kings Fund, the London School of Economics and more.

In this interview, we talk about how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way, and we talk about the challenges facing us with an ageing population. What are the factors that might affect whether we have a high quality of older life, and what are the things businesses need to do to adapt to a changing demographic.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Anna Dixon when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:42)

Links

Anna Dixon on twitter https://twitter.com/drannadixon

Books

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Barack Obama

In this episode, I talk to Dr Peter Grant, director of charities MSC programme at Cass business school and author of various books on the theory and history of philanthropy.

Peter is one of the UK’s leading practitioners in public and charitable funding. He was the director of an inner-city youth charity for eight years before moving to Sport England where he devised the first Lottery programme to favour areas of deprivation.

In this interview, we talk about how Peter got to where he is today and what he learned along the way about what works in the charity sector. We explore some of the interesting questions about charity, including the recent criticisms of the high profile business-linked charities such as the Gates Foundation.

I found this a really engaging discussion where we go deep into some of the issues. I think you’ll get a huge amount from it.

Show Notes

What did the world look like to the young Peter Grant when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:47)

Links

Peter at Cass Business School https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/faculties-and-research/experts/peter-grant

Books

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ragged-Trousered-Philanthropists-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/184022682X/