This positive view from tireless campaigner, environmental activist and conservationist Tony Juniper is remarkable. Tony is currently chair of Natural England. He has been an adviser to King Charles and was a leading figure in Friends of the Earth for 18 years.
“I’m more optimistic than I’ve ever been for some time.”
At the macro level, he describes the prospects for climate, nature and biodiversity as “truly catastrophic”. Yet speaking to Nik Gowing on the Thinking the Unthinkable podcast he expresses significant optimism.
This reflects what Tony describes as a shift in how climate change is being understood and acted upon. “I think some pennies are now dropping in ways that are going to make a big difference, a positive difference”.
He explains the two reasons.
Firstly “more and more people are realising that climate change is not a future, theoretical threat. It is here now and it is real”. And secondly climate change is now seen as more than just an environmental issue. “People can now see that it is very evidently a question of financial stability, of food security, of geopolitical stability, and therefore it is moving up the table of priorities away from a green issue [to] more a top table issue”.
There is the realisation that “if we wish to have a secure economy into the future, then we’re going to have to deal with it in really quite an urgent and systematic way. And I think that is beginning to happen, which is why I am optimistic”
That shift is reshaping priorities. Climate is moving out of the margins and into core economic and political decision-making. At the same time, global instability is forcing more immediate choices, particularly around energy.
“You have some voices arguing that because of the choking off of oil supplies from the Persian Gulf, that we should be opening up other oil and gas supplies as if this will be a solution.”
This unexpected moment of disruption is also creating clarity. “People can now see actually replacing fossil fuels with fossil fuels is not really the best choice.” Instead, the direction is becoming more defined. “The best choice is to displace fossil fuels with renewables.”
This is where Tony sees real momentum building, not despite geopolitical tension but because of it. The pressures are exposing weaknesses in existing systems and accelerating the search for more resilient alternatives. “What do you do? Do you look for new oil and gas supplies or do you go hell for leather for renewables?”
This is about how systems are now adapting under pressure. The same dynamic is playing out across nature, economics and security. “And I think both of these things are a cause for optimism.”
Overall “two things are very true: potential catastrophe and a shaky consensus”. Tony explains that “both at the same time [are] paradoxically drivers of much of much more determined action”.
So listen to Tony’s inspiring analysis. The transition is underway more positively than many assume. The overall message is increasingly positive. The challenge is not whether the direction is right, but whether it moves fast enough.
Tony Juniper
Tony Juniper is a leading British environmentalist with decades of experience shaping climate and nature policy at the highest levels. He has been at the forefront of environmental advocacy, previously serving as Executive Director of Friends of the Earth and playing a key role in advancing sustainability on both national and global stages.
He currently serves as Chair of Natural England, where he works to protect and restore the country’s natural environment. Widely recognised for his leadership, Juniper is known for bridging science, policy, and public engagement—championing practical action on climate change, biodiversity loss, and long-term environmental resilience.
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