Mary Robinson, a rapper and rebellious radicals close LCAW with a bang
- Tom
- Jul 23
- 4 min read
No, it’s not the start of a bad joke – it’s how London’s Climate Cocktail Club (CCC) made its comeback on June 27th. Hosted in the grand surrounds of County Hall, overlooking the Thames, the night marked the fourth CCC London Chapter gathering and the first since our official relaunch in June 2025 (post covid slumber). The cocktails were cold, the conversations were fire and the call to action? Unmistakable.
A toast to the pigeons - we salute you, for joining the climate conversation – uninvited but fully committed. Simon Brown
London Chapter Lead Aisling McCaffrey welcomed the crowd and kicked things off with a bang (and a Negroni). CCC isn’t your average climate event. We don’t do panels in boardrooms. We do storytelling, spontaneity and maybe the occasional intentional rant – all shaken (not stirred) with optimism and honesty.
Our master of ceremonies for the evening was the ever-punchy Nick Nuttall – UNFCCC veteran and unofficial CCC bard – who set the tone with humour, heart and a knowing nod to the power of radical collaboration.
What’s needed now is radical community, radical communication and radical collaboration. Mary Robinson
When Mary Robinson takes the stage, people listen. The Former President of Ireland, Co-Founder of Project Dandelion and global climate justice champion reminded us that climate action is about people – especially those hit first and worst. Her message: the time for tinkering is over. What’s needed now is radical community, radical communication and radical collaboration. And yes, the alliteration landed like a rallying cry.
She challenged us not only to stay hopeful but to turn that hope into tangible momentum – community by community, action by action. Because, as she put it, “This is the critical decade. We don’t get another one.”
The future belongs to those who can see it coming – and are willing to rewrite the rules. John Elkington
Next up was John Elkington, the originator of the “Triple Bottom Line” and a founding thinker behind sustainable capitalism – though he’s since recalled the term, saying it’s time to reimagine everything. His fireside chat with Nick ranged from boardroom disillusionment to generational shifts, from ESG fatigue to genuine systems change.
He reminded us that if businesses aren’t actively driving transformation, they’re simply “dead men walking.” A little intense? Sure. But also very necessary.
As John put it, “The future belongs to those who can see it coming – and are willing to rewrite the rules.”
Louis VI doesn’t just talk about intersectionality – he embodies it. Rapper. Zoologist. Presenter. Activist. BBC Creator in Residence. His live performance blended spoken word and music to capture the raw emotional terrain of climate injustice and ecological grief – and the fire that fuels resistance.
His lyrics cut through the noise. The crowd was quiet. A few swayed. More than a few held back tears.
Then came the fireside chat. Informal. Candid. Honest. Louis spoke about the disconnect between urban youth and the environmental movement – and why the climate conversation must be more than carbon. It has to be cultural. Emotional. Alive.
After that emotional crescendo, Matt Smith of Hometree offered a literal and figurative breath of fresh air. A short film titled Custodians grounded us in the natural world, followed by a guided breathwork session that helped everyone come back into their bodies – and into presence.
Because before we can change the world, we have to feel it.
The evening’s panel was a punchy, fast-paced dive into what it means to be a “Reimagination Radical” in real life – and real business. Hosted by Nick, it brought together four bold thinkers:
Lisa Merrick-Lawless, co-founder of Purpose Disruptors, spoke to the need for the advertising and creative industries to rewrite their own narratives. “If we can sell shampoo, we can sell systemic change.”
Edzard van der Wyck, CEO of Sheep Inc., gave us the lowdown on regenerative wool, carbon-negative jumpers, and why transparency isn't a trend – it's a business imperative.
Julien Vaissieres, founder of Batch.Works, offered a glimpse into circular manufacturing at scale, disrupting the plastic paradigm with smart design and local production.
Siobhan Clarke, Director at Particle Leap, brought the heat with a quantum leap (pun intended) into how science and tech innovation must serve social and planetary equity.
What followed was a fast-paced, jargon-free conversation that bounced from consumer behaviour to capital flows to creative courage. Audience questions touched on everything from greenwashing to scaling solutions with soul.
If there was one takeaway? Disruption doesn’t need to be destructive. It can be deeply regenerative – and kind.
Ingmar Rentzhog, the mastermind behind We Don’t Have Time, wrapped up the main stage with a rousing presentation on mobilising the digital generation. “Make Science Great Again,” he proclaimed – part campaign, part challenge to elevate truth in a post-truth world.
His tools? Facts, platforms and yes – memes. Because we’re going to need every weapon in the arsenal, including humour, to cut through the noise.
Huge thank you to all the partners of the Climate Cocktail Club, without their sponsorship and support these events would not happen.
Host: Sustainable Ventures
Official Cocktail Partner: Diageo
Brand Partner: THINKHOUSE
Supporting Partners: BE IMPACTFUL, We Don’t Have Time, Project Dandelion
The Climate Cocktail Club operates on a voluntary basis and needs the support of partners to ensure the events are a success - please support our future events and become a sponsor.
See you next time.
Aisling
Climate Cocktail Club - London
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