The Science of Optimism at The Conduit

Session Overview

On the rooftop of The Conduit in Covent Garden, THE NAT brought together scientists, communicators, activists, investors and culture-shapers for a morning conversation on an urgent question: how do we build optimism in the face of ecological crisis? Hosted by Gail Gallie, Founder of THE NAT, the discussion with ecologist Thomas Crowther explored his concept of feedback loops — the self-reinforcing forces, positive and negative, that shape everything from galaxies to ecosystems and economies. Crowther pointed to a vastly underreported reality: large-scale regeneration is already underway, with his platform Restor tracking restoration across more than 170 million hectares worldwide, driven not by altruism but by better incomes, productivity and resilience. The conversation turned to the power of collective belief — how shared narratives of crisis or possibility can become self-fulfilling — and the role of joy and intrinsic motivation in making change scale. Gallie closed by linking the ideas back to THE NAT’s mission: mobilising capital, culture and collaboration in service of nature, because the future isn’t discovered, it’s built — loop by loop.

Speakers:

• Gail Gallie — Founder, THE NAT
• Thomas Crowther — Ecologist; Founder, Restor