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From Fear to Action: Key Takeaways from the Blue Earth Summit and Why Courage Matters

Donna Okell

It was a beautiful, sunny autumnal day. The golden leaves shone brightly beneath a crisp blue sky—one of those 'glad to be alive' days. Yet, as I walked toward the entrance of the Blue Earth Summit, I felt strangely disoriented, a mixture of fear, hope, excitement, anxiety, and wonder swirling inside me.

It’s a feeling many of you may know too well. The science is clear—our world is hurtling toward catastrophe. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has warned we are on a "highway to climate hell" with our foot still on the accelerator. Despite decades of evidence, emissions continue to rise, extreme weather events are becoming the norm, crops are failing, and nature is suffering. In fact, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, with over half of its species in decline.

So why did I choose to attend the Blue Earth Summit?

One word: hope.

Why Hope Matters Now More Than Ever

In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, I felt called to "do what I can with what I have where I am." That’s why I went to the summit—not just to learn, but to connect with others who are determined to act. My anxiety faded the moment I met some familiar faces: UK for Good clients, partners, and peers, all driven by the same goal: to use their fear, passion, experience, and skills, and collaborate with others to shape a better future.

What I left with was a renewed sense of hope, and the belief that we need to move beyond just knowing the facts and inspire everyone to truly feel the need for change.

But it’s not just about feeling—we need to act, and act now.

My Key Takeaways from the Blue Earth Summit:

  1. Courage is Contagious At the summit, I realised that courage fuels action. Leaders who are brave enough to step up and question "Business as Usual" inspire others to do the same. We can no longer wait for "someone else" to solve the problem. We are the leaders the world needs now, and that leadership starts with each of us stepping into uncertainty and choosing to act, even when the path isn’t clear.

  2. It's Not Just a Climate Crisis—It's a Human Crisis Climate change isn’t an abstract concept; it’s already affecting human lives. The UN reports that over 40% of the global population is "highly vulnerable" to climate change. Entire communities are being displaced by extreme weather, and this will only worsen if we don’t take immediate, decisive action. This is not just about numbers or statistics; these are real people—families, children, communities—who are already bearing the brunt of our inaction.

  3. Data is Vital, but Emotion Drives Change The science is undeniable, but data alone isn’t enough. We need to inspire people to feel the urgency to act. Research from Yale shows that people are more likely to engage in climate action when they experience an emotional response, particularly when it connects to their core values like family, community, and future generations. We need to appeal to these emotions, as well as present the cold, hard facts.

    For example:

    • The World Health Organization predicts that climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress between 2030 and 2050.

    • Recent studies have shown that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change, with the potential to disrupt food supplies, increase global migration, and cause economic instability on a massive scale.

  4. Collaboration is Key If there was one overarching theme at the Blue Earth Summit, it was that no one can do this alone. We must work together—across industries, sectors, and countries—to drive systemic change. Whether you're a business leader, a community advocate, or an individual, your contribution is vital. The solutions to the climate crisis are too complex to be solved by a single person or organisation. Partnerships, collaborations, and networks are crucial to amplifying our impact.

  5. Urgency, Not Panic It’s tempting to feel paralysed by the enormity of the challenge we face, but inaction is our greatest threat. At the summit, we talked a lot about the need for "urgent optimism"—the belief that, yes, the situation is dire, but if we act now, we can still change course. Research shows that we have the technologies, policies, and know-how to limit global warming, but the window is closing fast. This is why we must act decisively, with courage and urgency, not panic.

The Power of Feeling the Need for Change

I left the Blue Earth Summit with one powerful realisation: we need to make people feel the need for change, not just understand it intellectually.

The choices we make today will directly impact the future our children face tomorrow.

At the summit, I saw first-hand the incredible potential we have when we come together with courage, compassion, and a shared commitment to making things better. But we need to do more. We need to inspire everyone—leaders, employees, consumers, and communities—to feel the urgency to act.

The Emotional Case for Climate Action

Many of us have heard the facts, but it’s often not enough to spur real change. Studies in behavioural psychology show that people are more likely to act when they emotionally connect to an issue. One study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that framing climate change in a way that emphasises personal, close-to-home impacts—like its effects on family, health, and local communities—can significantly increase engagement and motivate action.

For example, think about what the world could look like for your children and grandchildren if we do nothing. Rising sea levels, mass extinctions, food shortages—these aren’t abstract risks. They are very real threats to the future they will inherit.

When people imagine their own children or grandchildren growing up in a world ravaged by climate disaster, the need for change becomes deeply personal. And that’s when courage is born.

Some of you will have seen my presentations about my own journey to define my purpose, and that of UK for Good, and I always talk about the consequences of our actions on my children and grandchildren.

Are You Ready to Step Up?

The Blue Earth Summit reignited my belief that we are not powerless in this fight. Every decision we make—both in business and in life—can help shape a better future.

Our choices, their future. That’s the reality we face.

Will you step up? Will you lead with courage and commitment, knowing that the decisions you make today will shape the world for generations to come?

If not now, when?

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