A globally-renowned climate change campaigner, Christiana Figueres is credited for leading the 2015 Paris Agreement, a defining initiative driving sustainability. She has held several pinnacle positions in global politics, including as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. When booked for events, Christiana can discuss her incredible career in sustainability and what business leaders must do to decelerate climate change.
In 2010, Christiana was appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In this role, her defining impact resulted in the 2015 Paris Agreement, a vital initiative that saw nearly 200 governments pledge to change their ways. Christiana created a global infrastructure for sustainability, targeting the coal industry, deforestation and more. Audiences of her speeches receive a unique insight into the political processes behind sustainable changes.
Joining forces with her former Senior Advisor, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Christiana co-founded the Global Optimism group and published The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis. She is also the podcast co-host of Outrage & Optimism, a testament to Christiana’s ongoing dedication to sustainability. Such commitment was recognised with the Dan David Prize in 2019, The Grand Medal of the City of Paris in 2015 and she was the only female Latin American in Fortune’s World's 2016 50 Greatest Leaders list.
Following her career in national politics and international relations, as the Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Costa Rica and Director of the Renewable Energy in the Americas, Christiana proposed her bold Programmatic Clean Development Mechanism in 2002. The study received support from over 100 developing countries, greenlighting her approach to reducing emissions. As a speaker, Christiana reveals the impact her study has had on climate change.
Starting in 1995, Christiana represented the Costa Rican Government at United Nations Convention on Climate Change. She was later appointed Vice President of the Bureau of the Climate Convention and held several senior roles in international negotiations, including Member of the Friends of the Chair Group that negotiated the Bali Action Plan.
Christiana has helped several private companies achieve their climate goals; as Senior Adviser to C-Quest Capital, Vice-Chair of the Rating Committee of the Carbon Rating Agency and Principal Climate Change Advisor to ENDESA Latinoamérica. A key figure on several boards, she has also worked with Formula E since 2017 and Impossible Foods since 2021. As a sustainability speaker, she translates such guidance to corporate audiences, leading to visible results.
