The Drawdown Agenda

In this interview, we are joined by Drawdown research fellow Eric Toensmeier to look at how we can improve the world’s food production systems. As established in the food demand interview, sustainably feeding the world’s ten billion inhabitants by 2050 requires significant changes in dietary habits to reduce pressures on land. Nonetheless, even accounting for...

In this interview, we are joined by Drawdown research fellow Alisha Graves to look at how women’s empowerment impacts global warming. Although the status of women is not an issue often linked to climate, both family planning and improving girl’s access to education are two desirable solutions that have a profound impact on population and...

In this interview, we are joined by experts Amanda Hong and Zak Accuardi to examine Drawdown’s two biggest solutions that allow for the greatest agency at the individual level – Reduced Food Waste and Plant Rich Diets. With studies showing that as much as one third of global food production being wasted annually, cutting back...

In this introductory episode of The Drawdown Agenda podcast, Paul Hawken, the co-founder and former executive director of Project Drawdown, discusses the inception and mission of Drawdown– and explains the research, modelling and analysis underpinning the project. He emphasises how this project is the first of its kind, as previously many, even within the science community, had a scant understanding of the wide range of different possible solutions–and their effectiveness. In particular, Paul emphasises the need to move beyond the pervasive “silver bullet” mentality that venerates a single overarching solution towards a broader positive solutions-based approach to systemic change. This is now essential, he argues, as an overtly negative focus in climate communication has largely prompted disempowerment and disengagement. Instead, Drawdown presents a positive action –oriented framework to reverse global warming — and also to create a fairer, more egalitarian, and regenerative world. This is a profoundly inspiring, world-changing vision of the future, highlighting the critical importance of collective action to reverse global warming.

Paul Hawken is the co-founder and former executive director of Project Drawdown, a global non-profit that describes when and how global warming can be reversed. Paul is also an author and activist and has written seven books including; The Next Economy, The Ecology of Commerce, Blessed Unrest and Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, co-authored with Amory Lovins. Paul has also founded successful, ecologically-conscious businesses, and consulted with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy. He has served on the board of many environmental organizations including Centre for Plant Conservation, Shelburne Farms, Trust for Public Land, Conservation International, and National Audubon Society. a global non-profit that describes when and how global warming can be reversed. Paul is also an author and activist and has written seven books including: The Next Economy, The Ecology of Commerce, Blessed Unrestand Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, co-authored with Amory Lovins. Paul has also founded successful, ecologically-conscious businesses, and consulted with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy. He has served on the board of many environmental organizations including Centre for Plant Conservation, Shelburne Farms, Trust for Public Land, Conservation International, and National Audubon Society.