
Adam O'Toole
MSc Environmental Science
Department of Environment and Geography, University of York
Adam O’Toole's research focuses on leadership and regeneration, with a particular focus on the question: what might leadership look like in a regenerative future? His previous work has explored leadership, collective action and transformational change, asking what can be learned from exemplar leaders who have successfully enabled collective action for systemic change.
Adam’s work is motivated by a strong desire to help create a more regenerative future. He believes that current ideas of sustainability are often insufficient to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, and that more transformational approaches are needed to create meaningful change.
A central theme of his work is the idea that society’s reluctance to move towards regenerative futures is rooted in a deeper disconnection between people and nature. He argues that many people do not yet feel a strong enough connection to the natural world to change their behaviours and priorities in the ways required.
Adam is particularly interested in the role that leadership can play in helping people rediscover stronger human-nature relationships, cultivate more ecocentric worldviews, and inspire the collective action needed to support regenerative futures.
