Council for the Future

Lord Deben (formerly John Gummer); London, UK; 24 July 2018; Photo credit: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL;

The Rt Hon Lord Deben | Chair, Council for the Future 

The Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, is the founder and Chairman of Sancroft International, a consultancy that advises both businesses and investors on all areas of Sustainability and ESG. Between 2012 and 2023 he was Chairman of the UK’s Independent Climate Change Committee. Lord Deben was also the UK’s longest serving Secretary of State for the Environment (1993-97) having previously been Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. His sixteen years of top-level ministerial experience also include Minister for London, Employment Minister, and Paymaster General in HM Treasury. Lord Deben is currently Chairman of Valpak Ltd and of PIMFA, the trade body representing financial advisers and wealth managers. Throughout his political, business, and personal life Lord Deben has consistently championed an accord between sustainability and business sense.

Claire Haigh, Founder & CEO Greener Vision and The Tabula Project | Co-convenor, Council for the Future

“The window to avoid irreversible climate impacts and biodiversity loss is rapidly closing.   How can we approach climate policy differently?  How can we prevent short-term thinking and political expediency from driving critical decision making?  Climate change is a global problem calling for unprecedented levels of cooperation.  We need an approach that builds unity not division.  We must harness the forces pushing forward on clean energy and work together to ensure an equitable transition to an environmentally sustainable future that can benefit everyone.  Our thinking needs to change if we are to rise the scale of the climate crisis.  For real and lasting change, we must start with ourselves”

Professor Mette M High, Director of the Centre for Energy Ethics and Professor in Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews | Co-convenor, Council for the Future

“As an anthropologist, I believe in the importance of dialogue and collaboration, especially with those who see the world differently. Climate change calls on all of us to bring that same openness, imagination, and shared sense of purpose to the table. The science is clear, but scientific consensus alone won’t solve this crisis—real progress depends on people working together across political lines and personal interests. By keeping climate action non‑partisan and committing to dialogue and the ability to disagree well, we can move beyond our silos and unlock the collaboration needed to shape a better future for everyone.”

The Tabula Project Roundtable Discussions in 2025 highlighted a range of policy priorities, governance and institutional issues and tactics for engaging with the public on tackling climate change.  Public concern about climate change is consistently high[v] but analysis shows that the British media is increasingly divorcing net zero from climate change.[vi] Climate action is being obstructed and delayed by false and misleading information.^[vii]

• Policy priorities: ensuring a fair and just transition to net zero, prioritising growth that addresses our climate and nature crises, pricing properly for carbon and ensuring that the cost of goods and services covers their true environmental impact.
• Governance and Institutional: strengthening public debate on net zero, working to establish a clearer distinction between fact and fiction in the media and ensuring greater democratic accountability.
• Tactics and Communications: the importance of treating the climate crisis as an emergency, engaging with the public on net zero through positive storytelling, and the power of leading by example.