Question: "A global environment leader has yet to emerge. Where will...?"

A global environment leader has yet to emerge. Where will this person come from and is the environmental movement’s miserable ‘doom and gloom’ image holding back potential figureheads?

Jonathan Porritt: Many potential leaders are prevented from being so. Not for lack of visionary people, such as Wangari Maathai, who are involved with fantastic work or who have an amazing vision for a better world. This sort of leadership is not given much space by our current right-wing leader.

Brendan Gormley: These people do exist and are often uncomfortable people to be with. We have a fragmented world - pulling all the disparate strands of this world and differing sectors together, requires a certain set of skills. A non-supportive media can make this difficult.

Ric Parker: Al Gore was probably going for this position. We need current global leaders to finally 'get it' , for example, if a US president put the environment at the top of the agenda, that would be very powerful. It needs to come from within the system.

Jonathan Porritt: The idea of an American president leading us to an environmental nirvana? phewwww!

Ric Parker: We need change now - and internal change from within the system.

Crispin Tickell: Margaret Thatcher provided strong leadership on climate change. She got it, as both a scientist and a politician. You need leadership from within the system - you need to use the current levers of power to bring about change.

Member of the public who asked the question: Liked what he'd heard - followed up with question about the media skewing information. Questioned the role of the internet in providing more balanced information and whether it brings about change.

Jonathan Porritt: It has a fundamental role - it allows connections across the world, and will grow and grow. Very powerful force for change.

Audience member: Made a point about the internal leadership discussion. Was not happy about the afternoon launch of the Institute being a closed, invite-only session. Said that it looked like a 'boys club', and questioned what sort of model the Cabot Institute will adopt? He also made the point that decisions are not always made on the back of hard evidence.

Audience member: We need more scientists in politics. How can politics become a more palatable career choice for scientists?

Ric Parker: This is a very good point. There is a very small number of scientists among our politicians and therefore there is very little understanding. It's a similar situation within the civil service. This is vital: we're not going to have the right leadership in the country without this knowledge and understanding.