“If you can make a difference, you should,” David Miliband urged at The Independent’s Climate 100 event in New York City, marking the launch of the 2026 Climate 100 list.
The former UK foreign secretary, who has led one of the world’s largest humanitarian groups for more than a decade, told Editor-in-Chief Geordie Greig during a Q&A session: ”If you don't, it's a waste. Who wants to waste our time here? It's a short time, so let's make the most of it.”
During his keynote address, Miliband said America is no longer the “anchor” of the global system following its “severe” foreign aid cuts, but improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people is still “a solvable problem.”
Greig praised Miliband’s “personal, practical and political antennae, and dedication to public service” and noted his background as the son and grandson of Holocaust survivors.
The Climate 100 list celebrates leaders on diverse paths with a singular goal: tackling the worsening climate crisis.
