Future-Proofing Our Planet: Adapting to a Changing Climate
Webinar Summary | April 2025 | Organized by ESRAG
Introduction
The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) hosted a landmark webinar titled “Future-Proofing Our Planet: Adapting to a Changing Climate” on April 12, 2025. The event brought together renowned climate leader Christiana Figueres, Rotary International President-Elect Mário César Martins de Camargo, and moderator Judith Diment, MBE. The webinar opened with remarks from ESRAG Chair Yavuz Atila and concluded with reflections by ESRAG Past Chair Dr. Patricia Armstrong.
Setting the Stage: A Decade of Eco-Action
ESRAG 2024-25 Chair Yavuz Atila began by contextualizing the urgency of the climate crisis, referencing humanity’s role in the planet’s sixth mass extinction. He celebrated ESRAG’s 10-year anniversary and its evolution into a global hub for environmental Rotary initiatives. Highlights included the growth of Eco Action Clubs and the launch of the 1 Million Solar Panels campaign.
Framing the Crisis: Fires, Floods, and Extremes
Moderator Judith Diment acknowledged global extremes—from wildfires to floods to polar melt—as the backdrop of the discussion. She noted the climate crisis affects every aspect of human rights and infrastructure. Diment introduced the panelists with warmth and respect, underscoring their leadership: Figueres as architect of the 2015 Paris Agreement and Camargo as a sustainability-driven incoming Rotary president.
Christiana Figueres: The Moral and Economic Imperative of Action
Figueres emphasized that climate change is no longer a distant threat. Its effects are already destabilizing ecosystems, economies, and human well being globally. She argued that climate action is both a moral obligation and a sound economic investment.
She drew attention to the critical distinction between mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (adjusting to unavoidable impacts), noting their inverse relationship: the less we mitigate now, the more we must adapt later.
While mitigation has advanced, adaptation has lagged behind. She stressed the need for more funding and focus, as vulnerable nations face the harshest impacts with the fewest resources. She championed local action, equity, and intergenerational responsibility.
Mário César Martins de Camargo: Rotary’s Role in Global Climate Leadership
Camargo traced Rotary’s environmental journey from its early initiatives in the 1990s to the adoption of the environment as Rotary’s seventh Area of Focus in 2020. As a Brazilian, he sees unique responsibility and opportunity in hosting COP30 in Belém in 2025, the same year he begins his presidency.
Camargo shared sobering firsthand accounts of climate impacts he’s witnessed globally—floods in Pakistan and Brazil, fires in California—and celebrated grassroots Rotary responses. He called for increased environmental global grants (currently 5% of Rotary’s grant budget) and deeper club engagement in adaptation projects.
At COP30, Camargo envisions Rotary participating in pavilions, securing sponsorships, activating local Rotarians, and building Rotary’s public image through climate leadership. He emphasized the need to engage youth to ensure Rotary’s relevance and longevity.
Adaptation in Action: Costa Rica and the Earthshot Prize
Diment asked Figueres about Costa Rica’s leadership in forest conservation and REDD+ carbon finance. Figueres described her country’s decades-long journey to reforest more than 50% of its land, driven by payments for ecosystem services. This innovative model is now being replicated globally.
She also described the Earthshot Prize, which she chairs, as the world’s premier environmental award. With thousands of nominations annually, including dozens from Brazil, the prize celebrates breakthrough solutions in five categories. The 2025 ceremony will be held in Rio de Janeiro just before COP30, amplifying Latin American climate innovation.
Opportunities for Rotary and Grassroots Action
Both speakers emphasized that local action is the foundation of global change. Figueres outlined practical roles for Rotary clubs: installing clean energy, restoring ecosystems, hosting climate forums, mentoring youth, advocating policy change, and supporting sustainable food systems.
Camargo reinforced that climate action is essential to Rotary’s future. A 2017 survey showed that young people rank the environment as their top concern. He views environmental work not only as moral action but also as strategic membership growth.
Urgent Optimism: Final Messages
Figueres issued a powerful reminder: “We are not saving the planet. The planet will evolve with or without us. We are saving ourselves.” The real issue is whether humanity and fellow species can adapt fast enough to survive on a rapidly changing planet.
She urged Rotary to lead with “urgent optimism”—combining moral clarity with a belief in human ingenuity. The costs of inaction are staggering. The rewards of mobilizing communities toward a regenerative future are profound.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Dr. Patricia Armstrong concluded the webinar by thanking the speakers and reinforcing the themes of hope and responsibility. She urged Rotarians to:
- Commit to club-level Climate Action Plans
- Mentor and uplift youth leadership
- Support and grow ESRAG’s initiatives
The session concluded with renewed inspiration to turn insight into action. As Armstrong stated, “Let us be the generation that future-proofs the planet for the next.”
