Tom Rivett-Carnac

Tom Rivett-Carnac is a highly respected authority on sustainability, who has forged a successful career as a political lobbyist working extensively with the United Nations - advising the former Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. Now the Co-Founder of Global Optimism, Tom is also a highly sought after speaker on the environment, ESG and renewable energy. Tom’s insight will unleash a business’ carbon-neutral potential, through practical, solution-driven strategies. Events featuring Tom are guaranteed to spark transformational change, as he unites audiences against climate change.

Today, Tom is dedicated to inspiring “stubborn optimism”, an approach coined by Tom and Christiana which challenges systemic processes that drive climate change, such as the reliance on fossil fuels. Intending to reach carbon net zero by 2050, Tom’s tireless work with global leaders is pivotal to reducing the effects of climate change. Tom is famed as the former Senior Advisor to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a role in which he spearheaded bold political policies centred around sustainability. One of Tom’s greatest achievements was the architecture of the history-defining Paris Agreement, a pledge made by hundreds of countries in 2015.

Other prominent roles of Tom’s include working as the President and CEO of CDP North America, the Co-Founder of the Climate Pledge, a Fellow of the Bezos Earth Fund, a member of the Expert Review Panel of the Earthshot Prize and Senior Fellow of Stanford Law School. He is also acclaimed as the co-author of The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, the author of When We All Stopped and the Co-Host of the Outrage and Optimism podcast. His work encourages greater disclosure of climate change-related risks, with his honest approach to sustainability inspiring businesses to reflect on their impact, a vital step in initiating large-scale change.

From working with Dyson to holding advisory positions for the likes of the Global Impact Investment Network, Clinton Global Initiative, Leaders’ Quest and the NY Stock Exchange, Tom’s international impact is evident. He now combines his academic knowledge, as a graduate in Environmental Economics and Systems Science at Masters’ level, with his professional experience, to produce balanced, practical speeches on sustainability. His speeches reveal his passions and empower positive drastic action that impacts our planet’s survival. From Government bodies to businesses, Tom’s speeches supply a how-to for sustainability. Hire Tom Rivett-Carnac today when looking for an astute sustainability expert to share their knowledge at your next event.