Simon Monk

Climate is without doubt the most pressing challenge of our time and the science of climate is clear. The world needs to look very different if we are to remain inhabitants of it.

Energy is the largest contributor to CO2 and a vast energy transition is underway, driven by fundamental economic forces. While we are quickly making spectacular progress, CO2 emissions are still rising. (See the data on the sources of CO2 by sector.)

This is where I focus my time, energy and attention.

"The best thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not."

I'm extraordinarily privileged to have been born into a place where education was highly valued.

Not only have I been able to travel widely, but I've witnessed those less fortunate and it's incredibly humbling to try to help do something about it. I invented one of the first digital micro-donation platforms, which helps change the lives of many people around the world, and as a family we continue to give.

"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

• Climate 200 — To enable climate policy, we believe it's essential to shift the balance of power to Independents. Our matching campaign helped deliver an excellent result.
• EDO — The EDO are effectively using the courts to hold companies and organisations to account.
• WaterAid — WaterAid help create long-term sustainable change like hygene, sanitation and education.
• Fred Hollows — Restoring someone's sight, brings back their independence, ability to work, or get an education.
• World Food Program — Have you ever gone more than a day without food? Every single day millions of people do.

Many businesses have a good creation story, so this is mine.

In 1989, I quit my job, sold everything and headed off to explore the world. The experience of being able to go anywhere, do anything and taste unconstrained freedom was memorable.

When you're young, you feel bullet-proof. I had nevertheless bought travel insurance to cover me for six months but, as with all the best travel plans, they changed and I ended up in China during the tumultuous summer of 1989. Being pre-internet, staying in touch was by letter and post restanté and there was certainly no means to buy travel insurance while you were still away.

After emigrating to Australia in 1993, I bought worldnomads.com as my personal website, thinking the name philosophically reflected who I was. I created one of the first travel blogs before 'blogging' was even invented, by sending stories home by fax and film canisters by courier!

In 2000 I started developing an online travel insurance service for independent travellers like me. My travel experiences inspired the World Nomads core concept of being able to buy a travel insurance from anywhere and have the freedom to extend it as many times as you needed. It was the first of its kind.