Event Hosting & Moderating: Blue Earth Summit

Case Studies
Written By Elizabeth Corse

Blue Earth Summit, a global gathering of forward-thinking, optimistic people building a better future

Service: Event Hosting & Moderating

Location: Woolwich Works, London

Role: Moderator and Sessions Stage Host (one month of preparation, day one of the summit)

Moderating the opening session on Blue Earth Summit’s Sessions Stage and hosting all ten sessions that followed, turning a 45-minute panel into a conversation the whole room took part in.

The Context

Now in its sixth year, Blue Earth Summit has grown from a sustainability event into a showcase of the future happening now. It connects founders, investors, business leaders, charities and curious minds who share one ambition: to build a better future for people and the planet. It’s conference, come festival, come retreat, with saunas and ice baths in the courtyard, a market hall of innovations and a central meeting place that serves fabulous planet-friendly food and drinks. The 2026 theme was to go beyond.

The summit works with a growing community of partners. World Land Trust, its official charity partner, joined Rewriting Earth on the Sessions Stage for From Apathy to Action: How Better Stories Can Save Nature, the opening session on day one.

[Blue Earth Summit + World Land Trust + Rewriting Earth]

From Apathy to Action in numbers

  • 45 minutes, opening the Sessions Stage on day one

  • 10 sessions hosted on the Sessions Stage across the day

  • 2 speakers: Dan Bradbury, Director of Brand and Communications at World Land Trust, and Paul Goodenough, CEO and Founder of Rewriting Earth

  • Around 110 people took part in the live questions

  • Almost 90 examples of what moved people to act

The Challenge

The panel discussion was about how to move people from apathy to action on nature through better stories. The people who made up the audience had chosen to come to Blue Earth Summit, and chosen a session on nature. Given they already care and take action on nature, Elizabeth focused on creating a session that made World Land Trust stand out while being practical for Blue Earth Summit attendees.

The goal was connection over insights, which is why we looked to involve the audience in the conversation, in a way that included everyone and not only the brave few who ask a question.

The Work

Preparation

  • Started working with Dan and Paul a month before the summit, following DisCom’s speaker process.

  • Both speakers completed DisCom’s speaker engagement form, followed by two briefing calls, which are a non-negotiable part of the process.

  • A WhatsApp group for quick decisions and a shared Google Drive holding everything, including the Mentimeter.

  • Created a speaker briefing page which centralises all information, details, links and materials for the session, which is useful not just for the speakers but for the programme and AV teams.


On the day

  • The panel and Q&A format made way for a session sprinkled with short, moving films, a chance for attendees to share how they felt, crowdsource ideas together and meet each other.

  • DisCom arrived early, working closely with the AV team, stage manager and speakers to make sure AV, videos and content were working as they should.

  • The question that unlocked the session: think of someone in your world who is disconnected from nature. Who are they to you and why did you pick them? Then turn to your neighbour and talk about how that shows up, which is how we got a packed room talking to each other.

  • An exclusive first look at World Land Trust’s new film, Pangolin Peril, and a collective call to action to close: phones out, find World Land Trust, like, share and follow.


Hosting the Sessions Stage

  • Elizabeth hosted all ten sessions on the Sessions Stage on day one.

  • Welcoming people into the room, keeping changeovers moving so every session started on time, and taking notes throughout to capture the single most important takeaways.

  • Making sure each session got a “behind the scenes photo moment”.


After the summit

  • The Mentimeter results were shared with the speakers, along with the full crowdsourced list and all photos uploaded.

Blue Earth Summit’s Crowdsourced Recommendations

Almost 90 campaigns, films, books and podcasts that moved people to act, crowdsourced live from the audience.

 

“Once again thanks to you both for being part of the panel and making it work so well.”

Dan Bradbury, Director of Brand and Communications, World Land Trust

Get In Touch
Elizabeth Corse
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