Speaker Series: A Better World
Diana Fox Carney and Mark Carney explored the tensions between economic and environmental values at our latest, inspiring Speaker Series event.
We were delighted to welcome back two former South Hampstead parents to speak to the school community, as well as to partner schools, GDST pupils and alumnae. Joining from a snowy Canada via Zoom, the couple brought an international perspective to some of the biggest global challenges: credit, climate and Covid. Their cogent and compelling discussion focused on how financial values have come to dominate human values – and what we can do about it in the critical decade ahead. As well as outlining the challenges of reaching net zero emissions targets, they highlighted the real progress that has been made in tackling the global climate crisis in recent years.
Having spent nearly two decades working in the climate and development space, Diana said: “I am more optimistic about our climate future than I have been in years. We are in a world in grave danger, but we are finally addressing it in a serious way… What we need now is a massive acceleration of effort and pace from everyone: individually, at a corporate level and at a political level. We can’t waste any more time passing the buck or blaming each other.”
Mark, appointed as Boris Johnson’s finance advisor for November’s COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, shared insights on the positive changes seen at a corporate and financial level during and since his time as Governor of the Bank of England. He added: “We all know where we need to get to – net zero is now a mainstream concept – but time is limited. It now requires political leadership to bring the world along to the highest possible ambitions.” He ended with a rallying cry to the next generation of leaders, to:
The students of the GDST to come in and finish the job.
The Carneys were inundated with incisive questions, before one of our A Level Economics students, Natasha, thanked them for such a thought-provoking evening. As one GDST alumna commented: “A wonderful talk, leaving me full of hope for the future.”
Diana Fox Carney, an alumna of Oxford High School GDST, studied Economics at The University of Oxford before pursuing a career in development and climate policy, identifying paths towards a more inclusive economic system. She has worked for progressive think tanks and serves on the board of several environmental and children’s charities. Mark Carney also studied Economics at Oxford, where he met Diana. He is currently Head of Impact Investing at Brookfield Asset Management and serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance; he presented the BBC Reith Lectures in December and his new book, Values: Building a Better World for All, is released next month.
A recording of the talk is available to watch here.
The South Hampstead Speaker Series has been running since 2017, an opportunity to hear from high-profile guests who deliver talks that open doors, hearts and minds. Previous guests have included Mishal Husain, South Hampstead alumna Katya Adler, the former MI5 Director General (and GDST alumna) Stella Rimington, the philosopher A C Grayling, and anthropologist Professor Alice Roberts.