Amanpour (CNN Podcasts)

Episode: Former UN Climate Chief Christiana Figueres

Date: November 7, 2025
Host: Christiane Amanpour (with Bianna Golodryga, sitting in), CNN International
Notable Guests: Christiana Figueres, Katie Hessel, Jacob Collier

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the global struggle to address climate change, marked by missed targets on the 1.5°C warming threshold, political backsliding in the US, and cautious optimism from leading climate negotiator Christiana Figueres. The conversation covers the upcoming COP30 climate conference, local innovation, the future of the Paris Agreement, and finding hope amidst setbacks.
Additional segments highlight art’s role in daily wellbeing with author Katie Hessel, and a discussion on musical creation, AI, and imperfection with Grammy winner Jacob Collier.

Main Interview: Christiana Figueres on the State of the Climate (00:46 – 18:59)

The Broken 1.5°C Ceiling and the Reasons for Hope

• Figueres confirms that the world is set to temporarily overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target:

  “The ceiling that protects most vulnerable countries and most vulnerable populations around the world, which is a 1.5 degree ceiling, is now at least temporarily out of reach.” (00:05, 08:32)

• Despite this, she highlights real progress:
  • Renewable energy investments now double those in fossil fuels.
  • Electric vehicles have gone from 1% of sales at Paris (2015) to 20% now.
  • Solar power expansion is 15 times faster than expected a decade ago.

  “There are many proof points that there’s a new economy rising.” (03:19)

Grassroots Innovation & Earthshot Prize

• Earthshot Prize lauded for fostering grassroots, sector-changing innovation.

  “It supports...fantastic innovators...trying to do sectoral transformation.” (03:19)

• Local leadership fills the gaps left by national political inaction.

  “Local leaders...are saying we don’t have time to deal with national leaders who go up and down about the flavor of the month. Do we like climate? Do we not?...the decarbonization of the global economy is irreversible and unstoppable and that it’s good for their people.” (06:42)

The Trump Administration and Geo-economics (05:06)

• US fossil fuel industry is presently the main beneficiary of rollback policies.

  “He’s doing it because he’s beholden for the fossil fuel. As we remember, they put quite a bit of capital into his campaign...it’s very sad because his pull out is definitely capping the possibility of US industry to participate in a very competitive new economy and opening the chance for China...to continue to take the lead.” (05:19)

Pace of Progress and the Role of Carbon Capture (07:56)

• Emissions growth slowed from 18% (pre-Paris decade) to 1.8% over the last ten years.
• Carbon capture is acknowledged as essential in the near term, but can’t be the sole solution.

  “It is now very possible that we will have to use some safe carbon removal technologies that are currently not commercially viable, but that need to attract the investment that is necessary to make them commercially viable.” (09:51)

Binary Thinking: Addressing Bill Gates’ Recent Memo (10:23)

• Bill Gates suggested that health and prosperity are better defenses against climate change than focusing on emissions/temperature targets.
• Figueres rebuts:

  “It’s very understandable that Bill Gates...thinks in binary terms because all of the computing world is based on binary thinking...However, the real world is not binary. The real world is actually interconnected. There is no use in us exclusively dealing with health, with poverty if we don’t also protect people against the ravages of climate change.” (11:12)

  • Cites Hurricane Melissa’s impact on Jamaica as proof that prosperity alone cannot shield populations from severe climate events.

Science, Hurricanes, and Ocean Warming (12:12)

• Hurricane ferocity, not frequency, is directly amplified by warming oceans:

  “Let no one say that climate change produces hurricanes, but it definitely makes them more ferocious and very likely more frequent.” (12:54)

COP30 in Brazil: A New Focus on Land & Indigenous Peoples (13:34)

• Brazil’s “Tropical Forest Forever Fund” is celebrated as visionary, putting land use and indigenous peoples at the center.

  “Brazil...is doing something very important...They’re bringing two issues that have never been front and center...land use and indigenous peoples...That is a first for a climate COP.” (13:45, 14:37)

• The symbolism of COP in the Amazon, after conferences in petro-states, matters politically and practically.

  “The Brazilian government very intentionally chose Belem, which is in the heart of the Amazon, to make their point: Let us not forget about the trees.” (16:00)

Dealing with Climate Anxiety and Despair (16:46)

• Figueres urges realism—but also responsibility and action:

  “The only responsible choice is to say, therefore I am now going to give it absolutely my maximum...because two generations from now, or even one, they will not have the opportunity to turn this around.” (17:01)

The Role of COP Conferences (18:17)

• COP30 is “a milestone, not a destination”—progress is incremental and cumulative.

  “Every COP can take the results of the previous COP and put another brick in the efforts...we are not going to give up until we actually address climate change.” (18:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "The ceiling that protects most vulnerable countries and most vulnerable populations around the world, which is a 1.5 degree ceiling, is now at least temporarily out of reach."
  — Christiana Figueres (00:05, 08:32)

• "There are many proof points that there’s a new economy rising."
  — Christiana Figueres (03:19)

• "We already breached it last year and we now know that it will very likely be breached maybe two, three, ten years more. Temporarily."
  — Christiana Figueres (09:47)

• "There is no use in us exclusively dealing with health, with poverty if we don’t also protect people against the ravages of climate change."
  — Christiana Figueres (11:12)

• "Let no one say that climate change produces hurricanes, but it definitely makes them more ferocious and very likely more frequent."
  — Christiana Figueres (12:54)

• "The only responsible choice is to say, therefore I am now going to give it absolutely my maximum."
  — Christiana Figueres (17:01)

Segment Two: Katie Hessel – The Value of Living an Artful Life (20:51 – 37:02)

Creativity in Everyday Life

• Hessel’s new book, How to Live an Artful Life, offers daily quotes, wisdom, and prompts to boost creativity.

  • Structure: Each month has a theme (e.g., January - beginnings, July - freedom, November - memory).

  "I love this idea that you can have a book that is almost like a companion...for a bit of encouragement and to feel inspired..." (20:51)

• Living artfully means “to notice”—to adopt the slow, noticing perspective of artists and see beauty and potential in the ordinary.

  “What it means to live artfully is to just have that in your life. Perhaps they’ll teach you how to look slowly or notice nature or see something precious.” (21:33)

Art as Therapy and Community

• Hessel discusses the therapeutic benefits of interacting with art, supported by research:

  • Art can lower stress and invite stillness.
  • Encourages reflection, introspection, and shared conversation.

  “Art can only invite conversation and community.” (32:40)

• Her “Great Women Artists” project and previous books were born of a frustration with women’s exclusion in the art world and a personal inability to name twenty female artists.

  “I began with zero Instagram followers. It now has hundreds of thousands. But it means that people are hungry for these subjects.” (35:19)

• On her evolution as a communicator and educator:

  “If you want to actually ignite change, start with those who are much younger than you and get them involved as early as possible.” (36:47)

Notable Quotes from Hessel

• "There is nothing more precious than laughter. It is strength to laugh and lose oneself to be light." (Frida Kahlo, as quoted by Hessel on her birthday, 25:08)
• “Everyone begins with a blank page or the blank canvas. The task is to just go for it. And so I think artists can teach us all sorts of things.” (21:33)
• “Art has done so much for me and my life. And really this book is for everyone.” (24:22)
• “I think artists are amazing at seeing the potential in something.” (21:33)

Segment Three: Jacob Collier – On “The Light for Days”, Music & Imperfection (38:09 – 53:05)

The Creative Process & Embracing Limitations

• Collier’s new album The Light for Days was created in just four days, with a single five-string guitar, as a drastic shift from his heavily-layered, collaborative past works.

  “I imposed these two limitations, one being the one instrument, a five string guitar, and the second being four days..." (38:41)

• The album’s title reflects both its creative context and the global emotional climate:

  "There’s this lovely line, 'I have not seen the light for days,' which I think is how many of us are feeling right now." (39:30)

On Perfection, Improvisation, and Music as World-Building

• Collier feels most creative alone, though he enjoys performance and radical collaboration (including spontaneous audience choirs).

  “Everyone is a musician as long as they're participating. …Permission is more important than skill.” (46:01)

• Improvisation is as much about discovery and iteration as planning; audiences enjoy seeing both mastery and experimentation.

  “People enjoy watching me not know what I'm doing as much as they enjoy watching me know what I'm doing.” (47:15)

The Value of Art in a Digital Age

• Collier laments the lack of economic support for artists in streaming/algorithmic culture:

  “There are so many ways of structuring a society where the creative people are valued…I think it comes down to people in these sort of positions of high power not actually recognizing how foundationally crucial the arts are to a functional world.” (48:59)

• On AI, creativity, and imperfection:

  “The interesting thing about art...is that competence doesn’t mean something’s good or meaningful. …Artists thrive in the unpredictable. …I do have faith in the imperfections of people being our sort of saving grace…” (51:02)

Key Timestamps

| Segment/Event | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Start of Figueres interview | 02:46 | | 1.5°C ceiling breach admission | 08:32 | | Bill Gates climate memo discussion | 10:23 | | COP30’s land use/indigenous focus | 13:34 | | Dealing with climate despair | 16:46 | | “COP is a milestone, not a destination” | 18:17 | | Start of Katie Hessel interview | 20:51 | | Art as therapy, community, accessibility | 32:40 | | Hessel’s journey & educating through art | 34:36-36:47 | | Jacob Collier intro and process | 38:09 | | Making music under strict constraints | 38:41 | | Music creation, audience improvisation, AI | 46:01, 48:59, 51:02 |

Tone & Style

• Christiana Figueres is simultaneously candid about setbacks and insistent on possibility, using a tone of grounded optimism and urgency.
• Katie Hessel’s segment is warm, inviting, and passionate—a celebration of accessibility and inclusion in art.
• Jacob Collier is playful and philosophical, emphasizing decency, the joys of making, and the importance of imperfection.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of Amanpour offers a sweeping examination of the climate crisis at 1.5°C, tempered by real technological and grassroots progress (Figueres), an exploration of art as daily therapy and empowerment (Hessel), and the essential value of music, imperfection, and creative community (Collier). The conversations repeatedly return to the idea that hope, change, and meaning are built slowly, collaboratively, and—above all—intentionally, even as the pace or politics lag behind the urgency of the moment.