Pawel Czerwinski O2g1956hlco Unsplash

What Could Possibly Go Right?

THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

A mental compass in a world in upheaval

  • Thursday 25 September

How do we navigate a world shaped by climate change, uncertainty, and systemic crises? And how do we hold on to hope – without turning our backs on reality?

Norwegian psychologist, economist, and author Per Espen Stoknes invites us on a journey that begins in the wild landscapes of his childhood and moves toward a deeper understanding of the climate crisis – both its external and internal dimensions. Drawing on his personal story and profound systemic insight, he presents a practical and psychological approach to transformation.

Through three phases – Thinking, Doing, Being – Stoknes offers a mental compass to help us find direction in a rapidly changing world. He also introduces the five psychological barriers that hinder climate action – while pointing to how a renewed connection with nature can lead us toward hope, agency, and real transformation.

Stoknes' message is clear: true change requires us to reshape not only our systems, but also our sense of self.

Participants

  • Per Espen Stoknes, TED Global speaker, psychologist with a PhD in economics, and Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability and Energy at the Norwegian Business School in Oslo.

This session is presented by OpEn – the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Information and Engagement Fund.