Ghent University is awarding an honorary doctorate to Christiana Figueres for her tireless commitment to climate action and her unique ability to unite people and nations around a common goal. She has turned her stubborn optimism into a lifestyle.
On the occasion of her honorary doctorate, we spoke with Christiana Figueres about optimism, deep listening skills and the power of collective action.
Who is Christiana Figueres?
Christiana Figueres (°1956, Costa Rica) is an internationally renowned climate diplomat, negotiator and visionary leader in the fight against climate change. As head of the UN Climate Convention (2010–2016), she played a key role in the historic Paris Agreement, in which 195 countries pledged to keep global warming below 2°C. Her optimism and resolve were indispensable. After her stint at the UN she founded Global Optimism, an organisation that inspires individuals, the business world and governments to take faster climate action. In her book The Future We Choose (2020) she advocates ‘stubborn optimism’: the conviction that change is both possible and necessary.
Optimism as a driving force
This is her determined reply when asked how to remain optimistic in the fight against climate change despite the reality we are all confronted with on a daily basis: “We must acknowledge the fact that we are lagging behind. We are breaking all records. Regardless of whether it’s rising temperatures, melting ice or drought. But at the same time we must face reality without feeling overwhelmed. As soon as we feel powerless, we lose our influence. Especially with the madness we see in the world today, we must cultivate our influence and our impact more than ever. Optimism is not passive; it is a brave step forward to meet the challenges we face head-on.”
For Figueres, optimism is not the denial of problems but a conscious choice to take action. “The challenges are gigantic but we must hold on to the conviction that change is possible. Hope and decisiveness go hand in hand: without hope we can’t even begin the fight because it would be lost before it started.”
The art of negotiation
Figueres’ diplomatic success is often ascribed to her exceptional ability to bring people together. “Negotiation is not just about rules, most of all it’s about people. Self-knowledge and emotional self-control are absolutely crucial. It is important to have an in-depth understanding of your own thoughts and reactions so you don’t let your emotions take over. Stability and calm are essential in difficult situations.”
Figueres also underlines the importance of flexibility and deep listening skills. “It’s no use entering into negotiations and stubbornly clinging to your own opinion or viewpoint. That is not a negotiation, that’s forcing your views on others. You have to be prepared to reconsider your standpoints and genuinely listen to the needs of others. What you should strive for is the best possible shared outcome for everyone around the table.”
And finally, she shares a fundamental principle: “No decision is final until everything is decided. In negotiations you have to think of the puzzle as a whole. You can make preliminary arrangements but a workable agreement only emerges when all aspects come together. Patience and strategic thinking are indispensable in this regard.”
A lifelong collective fight for the climate
Figueres emphasises that change requires collective action. “We have to abandon the idea that climate change is too huge and too complex to make an individual contribution while placing the blame almost completely at the feet of governments and major industries. It is a fact that they are not taking responsibility but we do wield enormous power, both in terms of our personal choices and our collective voice. We can all contribute to the solution. Especially now, when we see from a geopolitical perspective that top-down responsibility is not being exercised. This means it is time for a bottom-up approach.”
On 21 March 2025 Christiana Figueres will receive an honorary doctorate from Ghent University. Through this honorary doctorate, Ghent University underscores the importance of leadership, hope and collective action in the fight against climate change. Figueres’ life work shows that true change is possible if we have the courage to not only believe but also act accordingly. As a visionary leader, she continues to fight worldwide for an ambitious climate policy and the strength of young generations in the transition to a sustainable future.
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