Christiana Figueres Appointed to the Concordia Leadership Council

Concordia is pleased to announce the appointment of former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Christiana Figueres, to the Concordia Leadership Council.

During her tenure, Ms. Figueres brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations and activists, women’s groups, scientists and spiritual communities, financial institutions, and NGOs to jointly deliver the historic 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Under this Agreement, 195 sovereign governments decided on a collaborative path to limit future global warming to well below 2°C and strive for 1.5°C in order to protect the most vulnerable in every nation. For this achievement Ms. Figueres has been credited with forging a new brand of collaborative diplomacy, for which she has received multiple awards.

Since then Ms. Figueres has continued to foster rapid action on climate change. She co-founded the social enterprise Global Optimism Inc, is the co-author of The Future We Choose, Surviving the Climate Crisis (Penguin Random House 2019), and co-host of the podcast Outrage and Optimism. She sits on the Board of ACCIONA and is the Chair of the Earthshot Prize founded by Prince William. 

“I look forward to joining the Concordia Leadership Council, as it strengthens its resolve to convene an even wider variety of voices to address our global challenges, recognizing the deep interlinkages among all of them as well as the uniqueness of each.” Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner, Global Optimism.  

In 2020, Concordia awarded Ms. Figueres with its Leadership Award for the nonprofit sector at the 2020 Concordia Annual Summit. The award acknowledged her campaigning and advocacy efforts around the cutting of global emissions, as well as her dedication to social good through her enterprise Global Optimism. 

“Over the course of her remarkable career, Christiana has achieved unprecedented advances in the fight for climate justice, marshaling the consequential United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with unparalleled authority and service,” commented Concordia Chairman of the Board & Co-Founder, Nicholas Logothetis. “At a time when critical and ambitious climate action is most needed, Christiana has stepped up and continued to lead the global coalition for a sustainable future. Since awarding her the Concordia Leadership Award in 2020 for her commitment to positive social and environmental change, we have become only more impressed by Christiana’s leadership and dedication.”

The full list of Leadership Council Members can be found here. 

About the Concordia Leadership Council: Concordia’s Leadership Council is composed of former heads of state, leaders of industry, and policy experts with practical experience at every level of government and business. By offering strategic guidance, expanding our community, and advising programming, the Leadership Council contributes to all areas of our ever-growing organization.