In an era of cascading global crises—climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, social fragmentation—many of us feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the challenges we face. Yet, amidst this turbulence, there are widening circles of hope: communities of care, resilience, and regeneration that inspire new ways of being and acting in the world.

In this talk, Songqiao Yao will explore how we can cultivate and sustain these widening circles—leveraging deep ecology, systems thinking, and collective leadership to navigate uncertainty and foster meaningful change. Drawing on her experiences as a global sustainability leader, from conserving China’s rivers to leading expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctica, Songqiao will share insights on how networks of changemakers, intergenerational wisdom, and cross-cultural collaboration can spark transformation.

Through stories, reflections, and actionable frameworks, this session invites us to move beyond despair and toward a regenerative future—one where hope is not just an emotion but a practice of connection, courage, and co-creation.

Songqiao Yao is an activator, facilitator and supporter for the resilience of change leaders and networks in the climate and nature field, in Asia and globally. She is the founder of WildBound, an innovative social enterprise based in China and the UK. WildBound cultivates sustainability leaders and systems transformation through deep ecology experiences, activating networks of change and engaging intergenerational, cross cultural and interdisciplinary stakeholders.

Prior to founding WildBound, Songqiao was a researcher, actionist, and social entrepreneur on environmental issues in China and globally. Over the past 15 years, she has led and advised youth climate organisations and projects, worked to conserve China’s rivers as a National Geographic Global Explorer and consulted on agricultural development projects in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Songqiao was the first Chinese participant and faculty member for Homeward Bound, the largest all-female science and leadership expedition to Antarctica. She has subsequently led and organised over 10 learning expeditions to the Arctic, Antarctica and the Himalayas.

Songqiao is also the youngest member and first woman from China to be a member of the Club of Rome. Songqiao received a Master of Philosophy in Geography from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oxford as the first Skoll Scholar from China. She graduated summa cum laude from Mount Holyoke College.