Blue Earth - What will you do? Join us.

In conversation with the Journal of Biophilic Design Podcast, Patrick Keogh explores why the future depends on bringing different worlds together, learning from nature and having the courage to act.

What kind of future do we want to live in? The way we design our buildings, organise our businesses, invest our money and relate to the natural world lies at the heart of this year's Blue Earth Summit, taking place at Woolwich Works in London from 14–16 October 2026. Bringing together people from business, science, investment, culture, sport and the environmental world, the Summit aims to move beyond familiar conversations about sustainability and explore how we can create a more regenerative future.

In the latest episode of the Journal of Biophilic Design Podcast, I spoke to Patrick Keogh, who leads the Blue Earth Summit programme, about the importance of interdisciplinary thinking, the lessons we can learn from nature, and why we need to turn our knowledge of environmental challenges into meaningful action.

Explore the Blue Earth Summit programme and book your ticket.

Breaking down the silos

Patrick's career has taken him from book publishing at Faber to launching creative writing programmes, developing the Guardian Masterclasses, working with international brands and exploring emerging technologies. He has spent much of his professional life bringing people and ideas together, with a particular interest in the power of stories to change how we see the world. That experience informs his approach to Blue Earth Summit, the event creates opportunities for different perspectives to meet, question one another and find new ways forward.

Climate and sustainability events can sometimes end up speaking to the converted. While these conversations are important, accelerating change requires a wider range of voices, including people from industries, financial institutions and businesses that may not traditionally see themselves as part of the environmental conversation. As Patrick explains, progress often happens in the spaces between disciplines. Scientists bring evidence, businesses understand the realities of implementation, investors can help unlock capital, and creatives can communicate possibilities in ways that engage people's imaginations. The same principle applies to the built environment. Architects, interior designers, landscape architects, ecologists, engineers, manufacturers, developers and policymakers all have a role to play in shaping healthier, more