Environmental speaker, Sir Jonathon Porritt, is the co-founder of Forum for the Future, an eminent writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development.  He promotes these areas as an achievable goal through the employment of clean technology and fairer models of economic growth.  His services to environmental protection have earned him a CBE.

Established in 1996, Forum for the Future is now an s a leading international sustainability non-profit, with many partner organisations, including some of the world’s leading companies, and a growing presence in the United States, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

Books

He has authored numerous books on sustainability.  His book The World We Made provides a positive vision on how we could conceivably be living in a fairer and more sustainable world by 2050. Reviews include, “revealing the gift in the arms of the problem, Jonathon Porritt beautifully shows how your applied hope, fearless action, and relentless patience can turn the world we inhabit into the world we envision.” Richard Branson.   Jonathon’s other works include Capitalism As If The World Matters, Seeing Green, Save the Earth and How to Save the Earth, which became a Channel 4 series.  His most recent publication is “Hope in Hell: A Decade to Confront the Climate Emergency“.

Background

From 2000 to 2009, Jonathon served as Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, the Government’s principal source of independent advice across the whole sustainable development agenda. Currently, he is President of The Conservation Volunteers, a Non-Executive Director of Willmott Dixon Holdings, a Non-Executive Director of Wessex Water, and a Director of Collectively (an online platform celebrating sustainable innovation). Jonathon also serves as a Trustee of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, and he is involved in the work of many NGOs and charities as Patron, Chair or Special Adviser. A member of the Board of the South West Regional Development Agency from 1999, Jonathon co-directed The Prince of Wales’s Business and Environment Programme, running Senior Executives’ Seminars in Cambridge, Salzburg, South Africa and the USA.

He was also formerly Director of Friends of the Earth (1984-90); co-chair of the Green Party (1980-83) of which he is still a member; chairman of UNED-UK (1993-96); chairman of Sustainability South West, the South West Round Table for Sustainable Development (1999-2001); and a Trustee of WWF UK (1991-2005). In 2012, he was appointed as Chancellor of Keele University, and he is also Visiting Professor at Loughborough University and at UCL. In 2020 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the edie Sustainability Leeds Awards.

Environmental Speaker and Presenter

Jonathon regularly contributes to radio, television and print media and is in much demand as a business & after dinner speaker and host.

“Yes, it was terrific … People are still commenting on it (positively) which is always a great sign. Thanks so much.” Prof Michael Alcorn, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Strategic Projects) Vice Chancellor’s Office, Queen’s University of Belfast 2023

“Jonathon’s passion for the issues and focus on practical solutions quickly won the audience round.” Professional Lighting & Sound Association (PLASA)

“Jonathan’s thinking will always draw an audience – his words certainly hold weight.” EMAP

“Brilliant. Jonathon really inspired the audience, even those usually quiet about our environmental work were talking about his session and our work, and there was a real buzz all afternoon. Was the perfect mix of alarm and call to action. Couldn’t have gone better!” NUS

“Really engaging speaker, had fantastic feedback from event attendees” Advanced Propulsion Centre

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