Replay Watch the 2021 TED Countdown Global Livestream Take action on climate change
HI, I AM AL GORE AND AS SOME
OF YOU MAY KNOW I AM ONE OF
THOSE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING TO
AWARENESS OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS
FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
15 YEARS AGO, I WAS LUCKY TO
WORK WITH A GREAT DIRECTOR,
DAVIS GUGGENHEIM AND AN
INCREDIBLE TEAM OF LAWMAKERS ON
A DOCUMENTARY CALLED AN
INCONVENIENT TRUTH ABOUT THE
URGENT NEED FOR ACTION ON
CLIMATE.
IN THE YEARS SINCE WE’VE MADE
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN
DEVELOPING THE SOLUTIONS WE
NEED TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS.
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE IMPACTS
OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS ARE STILL
GETTING WORSE.
FASTER THAN WE ARE YET
DEPLOYING THESE SOLUTIONS.
BUT WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE
THAT.
WE FINALLY REACHED THE
POLITICAL TIPPING POINT, BEYOND
WHICH WE CAN UNLOCK REAL ACTION.
IN ORDER FOR US TO ACTUALLY
CROSS THIS DIPPING POINT WE
NEED ALL OF YOU.
BY JOINING US TODAY, YOU HAVE
TAKEN THE FIRST STEP IN DRIVING
THIS PROGRESS.
I HOPE THE IDEAS YOU LEARN
ABOUT HERE WILL INSPIRE YOU TO
CONTINUE TAKING ACTION IN YOUR
OWN COMMUNITY.
IF WE WORK TOGETHER THERE IS A
WONDERFUL FUTURE AHEAD OF US.
SO LET’S GET GOING.
WELCOME TO COUNTDOWN.
LIVE FROM THE COUNTDOWN
STAGE HERE IS CHARLIE PUTH.
♪ HERE WE ARE ON EARTH TOGETHER
IT’S YOU AND I. GOD HAS MADE US
FALL IN LOVE, IT’S TRUE.
I REALLY FOUND SOMEONE LIKE YOU.
WILL IT SAY THE LOVE THAT YOU
FEEL FOR ME OH, WILL IT SAY,
THAT YOU WILL BE MY, BY MY SIDE
TO SEE ME THROUGH.
UNTIL MY LIFE IS THROUGH. WELL,
IN MY MIND WE CAN CONQUER THE
WORLD.
IN LOVE YOU AND I, YOU AND I,
YOU AND I. AT LEAST IN MY LIFE
I FOUND SOMEONE. YOU MAY NOT BE
HERE FOREVER TO SEE ME THROUGH
BUT I FOUND STRENGTH IN YOU.
I ONLY PRAY THAT I HAVE SHOWN
YOU A BRIGHTER DAY.
BECAUSE THAT’S ALL THAT I AM
LIVING FOR, YOU SEE, DON’T WORRY
WHAT HAPPENS TO ME.
BECAUSE YOU ARE MINE.
YOU WILL STAY HERE ALWAYS.
IN LOVE YOU AND I, YOU AND I,
YOU AND I. IN MY MIND WE CAN
CONQUER THE WORLD, IN LOVE, YOU
AND I, YOU AND I, YOU AND I. OH,
YOU AND I. DON’T KNOW AND.
THANK YOU, CHARLIE PUTH.
IT’S MY PLEASURE.
YOU WILL SEE ME ON THE
FLIPSIDE.
OKAY, THANKS FOR STICKING
AROUND HAS BEEN NO, IT IS MY
PLEASURE I MAY CLIMATE ADVOCATE
SO I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE
FOR STICKING AROUND FOR THE
SHOW, LIKE YOU SAID, I HAVE ONE
MORE SONG.
I WILL BE BACK IN A LITTLE BIT.
THEY TOLD ME TO GO BEHIND YOU.
PEOPLE OF EARTH, HELLO.
THIS IS COUNTDOWN, I AM YOUR
HOST, LATIF NASSER.
YOU MAY KNOW ME AS A HOST OF
RADIOLAB OR THE SHOW
CONNECTED, BUT I AM ALSO A TED
SPEAKER.
WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM
THE TRANSITING WORLD THEATER,
THANK YOU FROM US TO ALL OF YOU
FROM ALL AROUND THIS GREEN
MARBLE.
IF YOU JUST WOKE UP IN SAN
FRANCISCO I JUST FINISHED LUNCH
IN SC
WACKO, OR WATCHING FROM YOUR
BED IN SOME, WE ARE ALL HERE.
FOR THE SAME REASON.
OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
AND WE NEED TO PUT IT OUT.
TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE
ISSUE OF OUR MOMENT AND THIS
INITIATIVE RIGHT HERE, THIS
COUNTDOWN, IS FOCUSED ON THE
PEOPLE, THE IDEAS, THE
SOLUTIONS, AND ACTIONS THAT WE
NEED TO SET US RIGHT.
THE SITUATION IS URGENT, NO
DOUBT.
BUT AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE, WE
ARE STILL IN THE GAME.
OVER THE NEXT TWO HOURS YOU
WILL SEE SOME HEARTENING
EXAMPLES OF INNOVATION, AND
LEADERSHIP. TRUE STORIES AND
HONEST SENTIMENTS THAT WILL
GIVE HOPE AS WELL AS A SENSE OF
HOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US
CAN HELP.
YOU WILL HEAR EXCERPTS FROM
TRANSITING COUNTDOWN TALKS FROM
SCIENTIST, ACTIVIST,
ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISTS,
POLICYMAKERS, LEADERS FROM ALL
OVER INCLUDING FROM THE
COUNTDOWN SUMMIT IN EDINBURGH,
SCOTLAND FROM EARLIER THIS
MONTH.
PLUS YOU WILL NEVER FORGET
ABOUT WHO VOLUNTEER TO SAVE THE
PLANET, A BUNCH OF THE MOST
TALENTED PERFORMERS ON SAID
PLAN INCLUDING REGINA HALL,
ROONEY MARA, JOAQUIN PHOENIX,
MARK RUFFALO, FOREST WHITAKER,
ACTIVE RAINN WILSON, A BUNCH OF
HIS FUNNIEST FRIENDS, AND WE
ALSO HAVE PERFORMANCES BY DAVE
MATTHEWS, VALERIE JUICE,
CHARLIE PUTH, AS HE SAID HE IS
COMING BACK.
ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE, I KNOW,
TRUST ME THAT HEARING ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE CAN SOMETIMES
FEEL COME AT THE SAME TIME,
LIKE CATACLYSMIC AND
OVERWHELMING.
BUT THEN, ALSO, KIND OF BORING
AND LIKE HOMEWORK.
TODAY WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO
THAT WE WILL DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
TAKE A LOOK.
AND THERE IS A STORY WE’VE BEEN
WRITING TOGETHER FOR HUNDREDS
OF YEARS.
IT’S ABOUT ALL OF US.
IT TAKES PLACE RIGHT HERE.
IT STARTED FOR MANY OF US AS
ECONOMIES WERE BUILT BUT GROWTH
ROOTED IN EXTRACTING FROM OUR
PLANET AND OUR PEOPLE CAME AT A
COST.
THERE WERE WARNING SIGNS.
SOME OF US KNEW WHAT WAS
HAPPENING TO OUR COMMUNITIES
WASN’T RIGHT AND IT WAS
CONNECTED TO SOMETHING BIGGER.
AND THE IMPACTS WERE FELT BY
SOME MORE THAN OTHERS.
PEOPLE ORGANIZED AND ASKED
QUESTIONS.
OTHERS TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
WAS HAPPENING, IT SOUNDED THE
ALARM.
EVEN AS OTHERS REFUSED TO
BELIEVE WHAT WE TOLD THEM.
AND THE PLANET’S CLIMATE IS
CHANGING.
OUR STORY HAS HEROES BIG AND
SMALL, MAYBE YOU EVEN BECAME A
HERO IN YOUR OWN WAY.
IT IS A STORY OF HOPE,
PERSISTENCE, A PLAN FOR A
BETTER FUTURE.
THERE IS ALSO DESPAIR AND
DENIAL.
AMID THIS CRISIS.
WHILE THERE ARE FORCES THAT
SEEK TO DIVIDE OR EXTRACT US,
WE CHOOSE TO ACT NOW.
THE STORY HAS MANY
POSSIBILITIES, FEATURES THAT WE
WRITE FIRST AS NEIGHBORS AND
THEN AS WE WERE SPARED WE COME
TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT COMES NEXT
AND REFUSING TO ACCEPT DEFEAT.
THERE IS HOPE.
TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD TO
ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS
IT JUST URGENT AND NECESSARY,
IT IS POSSIBLE.
ALREADY UNDERWAY IN LEADING THE
WAY.
COUNTDOWN IS A GLOBAL
INITIATIVE TO CHAMPION AND
ACCELERATE SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE
SOLUTIONS.
TO TURN IDEAS INTO ACTION.
BECAUSE IN SPITE OF ALL THE
CHALLENGES, PEOPLE NEVER STOP
TRYING.
TO SHIFT MINDSETS AND THEN
ENTIRE SYSTEMS.
WE THINK THE FUTURE IS
PROOF.
WE HAVE TENURE TO CHANGE IT
SO WE NEED TO ACT ALTOGETHER
RIGHT NOW.
TO CHANGE THE WAY WE MOVE
OURSELVES AND OUR ECONOMY,
TRANSFORMATION IN EVERY GLOBAL
SYSTEM FROM SHIPPING TO
TRUCKING, SUBMIT TO .
ON THE VERY FOUNDATION UPON
WHICH WE LIVE.
TRANSPORTATION IS POSSIBLE.
ELECTRIFICATION WILL
ELECTRIFY AS.
EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING
WOMEN AND GIRLS IS ONE OF THE
SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS
THAT WE CAN DO TO CONFRONT
CARBON POLLUTION.
EVERYONE MUST GET TO ZERO
CARBON FUTURE.
WE CONNECT OUR STORIES AND
PLAN OUT THE PARTS, OUR
IMAGINATIONS ARE THERE.
IN RADICAL COLLABORATION WE
CAN DO THIS READ
WHILE WE ARE AT IT, LET’S
MAKE IT JUST AND FAIR FOR
EVERYONE.
NO MATTER WHAT HAS GONE
WRONG, WHAT CAN BUILD RIGHT.
WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION,
CHALLENGES FOR THAT STORY.
OUR STORY TAKES PLACE HERE.
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT AT TIMES
AND COULD HAVE UNTHINKABLE
OUTCOMES.
BUT THAT WAS THE STORY WE USED
TO TELL.
NOW IT IS UP TO US.
TO TELL ANYONE.
A NEW ONE.
BIG THANKS TO DON CHEADLE
WHO IS THE VOICE YOU JUST HER,
AND I WANT TO BRING IN ANOTHER
VOICE, DAVID BIELLO, DAVID HAS
BEEN A CLIMATE JOURNALIST FOR
TWO DECADES AND WROTE A BOOK
ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES WE
FACE.
I WANT TO HAVE HIM HERE FOR THE
NEXT HOUR TO BREAK THINGS DOWN
AND BE SORT OF A CHEAT SHEET
FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME, WHO ARE NOT
SUPER WELL STEEPED IN THIS
FIELD.
SO, BEFORE WE DIVE IN, CAN YOU
JUST GIVE US A PRIMER, LIKE
WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE
WE GO FORTH?
OKAY, SO I MAY CHANGE IS
THIS PROBLEM WHERE THE EARTH
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS WARMING
UP.
THAT IS WHY YOU SOMETIMES ARE
CALLED GLOBAL WARMING.
WHY IS IT WARMING UP?
IT IS BECAUSE OF THESE LITTLE
THINGS CALLED GREENHOUSE GASES.
THEY ARE CALLED GREENHOUSE
GASES BECAUSE THEY TRAP THE
EARTH’S HEAT JUST LIKE THE
GREENHOUSE IN YOUR GARDEN,
RIGHT?
IT IS WARMER IN THERE.
YOU ALSO HEAR THIS KIND OF
WONKY PHRASE CALLED
DECARBONIZATION.
THAT IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE
GREENHOUSE GASES HAVE CARBON IN
THEM, SO WE HAVE TO GET RID OF
THE GREENHOUSE GASES AND THE
CARBON ICE.
AND THE MAIN WAY WE ARE GOING
TO DO THAT IS BY PUTTING NO
MORE GREENHOUSE GASES INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE THEN WE TAKE OUT AND
THAT IS CALLED ZERO.
NET ZERO, SO WE ARE COUNTING
DOWN, THAT IS THE COUNTING
DOWN, COUNTING DOWN TO NET
ZERO.
YOU GOT IT.
THROUGHOUT THE SHOW YOU WILL
BE SEEING PARTS OF [ INAUDIBLE
- STATIC ] COUNTDOWN TALKS IT
WILL HELP FRAME THE PROBLEM IN
A WAY THAT EVEN I CAN
UNDERSTAND, AND THAT CAN
PROVIDE A BLUEPRINT FOR WHAT
OUR FUTURE COULD LOOK LIKE.
HERE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST SET
OF GREAT BIG GREEN IDEAS, IS A
GREAT MAN WHOM YOU LIKELY KNOW,
FOR BEING BIG ANGRY.
MARK RUFFALO.
HI, I AM MARK RUFFALO.
I BECAME AN ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTIVIST WHEN ENERGY COMPANIES
WANTED TO FRAK FOR GAS IN MY
HOME IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
I LEARNED HOW DOCTORS,
SCIENTISTS, AND MEMBERS OF MY
COMMUNITY WERE COMING TOGETHER
TO PROTECT THE WATER FROM
CONTAMINATION.
IT SEEMED OVERWHELMING AT THE
TIME, BUT I ALSO REALIZED THAT
I COULD ACTUALLY JOIN THE FIGHT.
AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT I
WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
THAT DESPITE THE SCOPE OF THE
CLIMATE CRISIS WE ARE
CONFRONTING TODAY, THERE IS
HOPE.
CLIMATE CHANGE DOESN’T THREATEN
THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR
PLANET, BUT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY
COMING TOGETHER IN
NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL ACROSS THE
GLOBE TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS.
I HEAR IT IS MORE URGENT NOW
THAN EVER, THAT GOVERNMENTS AND
INDUSTRIES ACTUALLY LISTEN TO
THE PEOPLE AND TAKE DECISIVE
ACTION.
THERE ARE MANY PATHS FORWARD.
AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY THINGS
THAT WE CAN DO TODAY TO HELP.
WE ARE AT A CRITICAL
CROSSROADS.
BUT, THE CHOICES THAT LIE AHEAD
OF US, THEY ARE REAL
OPPORTUNITIES READ AS A GLOBAL
COMMUNITY, WE HAVE NEVER BEEN
BETTER POSITIONED TO FIGHT THIS
CRISIS.
WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE
THE INNOVATION, AND WE HAVE THE
TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS.
NOW, ALL WE NEED IS A
COLLABORATION AND A COMMITMENT
TO SHOW OFF FOR EACH OTHER, FOR
THE FUTURE THAT WE WANT TO
CREATE.
IN THESE NEXT TAD COUNTDOWNS
BECAUSE I HAD TO REMIND US THAT
TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A GLOBAL,
LOCAL, AND PERSONAL SOLUTION.
TO FORGE A PATH FORWARD.
FOR A HEALTHIER TOMORROW.
TAKE A LOOK.
TOUCHDOWN ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD, YOU WILL HEAR MORE
TRAGIC STORIES OF CLAIMANT
DEVASTATION.
DROUGHTS, FLOODS, WILDFIRES,
LIENS AND LIVELIHOODS, IN
JEOPARDY.
TIPPING TOWARDS CATASTROPHE.
AND YET, DESPITE IT ALL, I
STILL HAVE HOPE IN OUR HUMAN
FAMILY.
AND YOU MIGHT ASK WHY?
IT IS OUR CAPACITY FOR HUMAN
ENDEAVOR.
TO SURVIVE AGAINST ALL ODDS.
ONE THAT CREATES A STRONG
PROMISE OF THE UN PARIS
AGREEMENT, AND ITS POWER TO
DRIVE THE 17 SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET.
WE KNOW THAT THE PROMISE OF
PARIS AIMS TO LIMIT GLOBAL
HEATING TO 1.5 DEGREES TO
ENSURE THAT WE SURVIVE, THE
HUMAN FAMILY, AND TO GET THERE
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE MUST DO.
WE MUST D CARBONIZED THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY BY 2050.
BY WAY OF HAVING THE INITIATIVE
IN THIS DECADE.
WE MUST MAKE CALL HISTORY WITH
CALL PHASEOUT IN COUNTRIES BY
2030 AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES BY
THE G-20 PRODUCES 80% OF ALL
GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION, SO
THEY TOO MUST, THESE 20 GLOBAL
LEADERS, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
AND LEAD.
WE MUST STOP SPENDING TRILLIONS
FOR FOSSIL FUELS, CLOGGING THE
LIVES OF OUR PEOPLE AND WE MUST
PRESIDE FOR A JUST, AND BLUE
TRANSITION.
WE KNOW THAT IS ALL ESSENTIAL
INGREDIENTS FOR THE PARIS
AGREEMENT.
NOW, TRY TO REIMAGINE WITH ME
WHAT THIS JOURNEY TO NET ZERO
EMISSIONS COULD LOOK LIKE,
THROUGH ANOTHER LENS.
ONE THAT PUTS OUR FOCUS ON
INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO REACH
THEIR POTENTIAL.
WHILE PROTECTING OUR HOME,
PLANET EARTH.
DECARBONIZATION, A POWERFUL
VEHICLE FOR CLIMATE ACTION, BUT
ALSO FOR DELIVERING ON THE 17
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE
THINK.
ABOUT THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
BECAUSE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT
THIS TIME.
WE NEED TO STOP THINKING ABOUT
IT JUST AS A PROBLEM, WHICH IT
OBVIOUSLY IS, AND TO START
THINKING ABOUT IT AS AN
OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL MOTIVATE
US TO SOLVE IT.
I AM A VENTURE INVESTOR, I
INVEST IN EARLY STAGE COMPANIES
AND TECHNOLOGIES.
AND I SEE TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITIES.
IN SOLVING CLIMATE CHANGE.
THAT SAID, WE’VE BEEN HERE
BEFORE.
AND, IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME.
WE CAN REDUCE THE EMISSIONS TO
ZERO.
AND THAT WAS NOT OBVIOUS EVEN
JUST 10 YEARS AGO.
WHY DO I THINK IT IS DIFFERENT?
BECAUSE WE HAVE CHEAPER INPUTS.
WE HAVE BETTER TECHNOLOGIES.
WE HAVE BETTER POLICIES.
WE HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF
URGENCY.
AND, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, WE
HAVE EVEN BETTER PEOPLE WORKING
ON IT.
HOW DO WE SHIFT OUT OF THIS
DESPAIR?
OUT OF DENIAL?
TO WHAT SOMETHING IS RADICALLY
DIFFERENT.
THERE IS A QUOTE IN SPIDERMAN,
WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT WHAT IF THE OPPOSITE IS
TRUE?
WHAT IF IT IS REALLY WITH GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY COMES GREAT
POWER.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF
THE WORLD’S MOVERS AND SHAKERS
HAVE KNOWN TO BE TRUE.
THEY WANTED BORN LEADERS, THEY
SIMPLY DECIDED TO MAKE
THEMSELVES PERSONALLY
RESPONSIBLE.
SOLVING CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BECAUSE IT IS OUTSIDE OF YOUR
CONTROL.
WHAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, IS
THE THING INSIDE YOUR CONTROL,
INDEED, THE ONLY THING THAT HAS
EVER BEEN INSIDE YOUR CONTROL.
YOUR MINDSET.
WE ALL HAVE STORIES RUNNING ON
REPEAT, STORIES ABOUT THINGS
THAT MOBILIZES, STORY THE WORLD
IMPRESSES UPON US AND
BORDERING’S AND CLASSROOMS
ALIKE.
I AM JUST ONE IN 7.8 BILLION
PEOPLE, TOO SMALL TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH, I DON’T
HAVE THE EXPENSE, I AM NOT THE
EXPERT.
THE SYSTEM IS TO BROKER, OUR
LEADERS ARE TOO SHORTSIGHTED
AND OUR SOCIETY TO SHACKLED TO
THE STATUS QUO.
THE STORIES PARALYZE US.
REWRITING THEM IS THE SINGLE
MOST POWERFUL THING ANYONE OF
US CAN DO.
FOR THE PLANET AND FOR
OURSELVES.
WHAT IS THE PLAN, JOE?
THE PLAN IS TO TRANSFORM
SOCIETY.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT,
TRANSFORM SOCIETY?
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ASK THAT.
THERE ARE SIX BIG OBJECTIVES.
WE ARE GOING TO ELECTRIFY
TRANSPORTATION, WHICH MEANS
STOP USING DIESEL AND GAS FOR
OUR VEHICLES.
WE ARE GOING TO USE
DECARBONIZATION FOR WIND AND
SOLAR, THERE, WE WILL FIX OUR
FOOD SYSTEMS.
THAT INCLUDES EATING LESS MEAT
AND DAIRY.
REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND
IMPROVING OUR SOIL HEALTH.
FOURTH, WE WILL PROTECT NATURE.
THAT IS STOPPING DEFORESTATION.
PROTECTING OUR OCEANS AND
PEATLANDS OR GRASSLANDS.
FIFTH, WE ARE GOING TO CLEAN UP
OUR MATERIALS.
HOW WE MAKE THINGS LIKE CEMENT
AND . AND THEN, SIX, WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO REMOVE
THE CARBON THAT REMAINS, THAT
STUBBORN, RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF
THE EMISSIONS THAT CANNOT BE
ELIMINATED.
EVERY ONE OF THESE SIX THINGS
IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE.
WE’VE GOT TO ATTACK THEM ALL AT
ONCE.
WE HAVE 85% OF THE SOLUTIONS
THAT WE NEED.
RECORD LOWS OF SOLAR WIND
DEPLOYMENTS AROUND THE WORLD,
THE DROP IN COST OF LITHIUM ION
BATTERIES, TO SUSTAIN MORE
ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
BUT THOSE SOLUTIONS ALONE WON’T
GET AS TO ZERO.
SO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
BOTH DEPLOY AND INVEST IN THEM
NOW.
AS WELL AS INVENT THEM NEW.
WE NEED THE NOW AND IN YOU TO
SCALE UP WHAT WE’VE AS WE
INVEST IN THE FUTURE.
CLIMATE CHANGE, AMPLIFIES
THE INEQUITIES. THOSE WHO
SUFFER THE MOST HAVE DONE THE
LEAST TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS, IS THAT
THE U.S. AS THE WORLD’S HISTORIC
BIGGEST EMITTER MUST D
CARBONIZED FIRST.
WE MUST DO THAT FOR TWO
REASONS, TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT
IT IS POSSIBLE, AND TO DRIVE
THE COST DOWN FOR EVERYONE
ELSE.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS ARE NEEDED,
AND EXPECTED.
BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GET
US WHERE WE NEED TO GO, IN
THIS, THE DECISIVE DECADE WHEN
WE HAVE TO CUT EMISSIONS IN
HALF BY 2030.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE CAN DO
THIS.
WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.
WE KNOW IT MAKES SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC SENSE.
AND WHEN WE SUCCEED WE CAN ALL
TAKE LUNGFUL’S OF FRESH AIR, WE
WILL BE SAYING HELLO TO HEALTHY
LIFESTYLES AND RESILIENT
ECONOMIES IN LIVABLE CITIES.
WE ARE ALL ON THIS JOURNEY
AROUND THE SUN TOGETHER.
THIS IS OUR ONLY HOME.
THIS IS OUR MISSION.
TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN’S
FUTURE.
THANK YOU TO MARK RUFFALO,
AND ALL THOSE TEND COUNTDOWN
SPEAKERS, DAVID, I KNOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE SEE CLIMATE CHANGE
HEADLINES AND JUST KIND OF
FEELS LIKE IT IS THE SAME
THING, OVER AND OVER.
WHY IS THIS MOMENT DIFFERENT?
SO, ONE BIG REASON THIS
MOMENT IS DIFFERENT IS BECAUSE
THE SCIENCE IS EVERMORE CLEAR.
WE KNOW MORE.
AND ANOTHER REASON THIS MOMENT
IS DIFFERENT IS BECAUSE WE KNOW
WHERE THE PROBLEM IS COMING
FROM.
EVEN MORE.
WE ARE BURNING TOO MANY FOSSIL
FUELS, THAT IS COOL, OIL AND
GAS AND CUTTING DOWN TOO MANY
FOR US TO FEED OURSELVES.
BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE THE
ROBINS ARE COMING FROM, WE KNOW
ALSO, HOW TO SOLVE THEM.
WE’VE GOT TO GET OFF THE FOSSIL
SUNSHINE TRAPPED IN THOSE
FOSSIL FUELS.
GET OFF THE FOSSIL SUNSHINE AND
GET ON THE FRESH SUFFERING
I AM SURE MANY OF YOU
WATCHING UP QUESTIONS FOR
DAVID, TOO.
YOU CAN PUT IT IN CHATTANOOGA
OR TWEET THEM USING THE HASHTAG
#TEDCOUNTDOWN AND ACTUALLY TO
GET AHEAD OF WHAT I EXPECT THIS
QUESTION TO BE, SO MUCH OF THE
STORY OF CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE
STORY OF CARBON AND THE STORY
OF CARBON ABOVE US.
AND THE TED TEAM MADE THIS
GORGEOUS EXPANDER, TO HELP
PARSE IT ALL OUT, SO TAKE A
LOOK.
THE AIR WE BREATHE HAS
CHANGED, THE MIX OF GASES IS
SHIFTING WITH MORE AND MORE
GREENHOUSE GASES LIKE CARBON
DIOXIDE.
THIS SHIFT IS HAPPENING FASTER
EACH YEAR.
IN FACT, CONCENTRATIONS OF CO2
HAVE REACHED LEVELS NEVER
BEFORE BRIEFED BY HUMANS SINCE
SAPIENS EVOLVED.
IN JUST A FEW HUNDRED YEARS,
FOSSILIZED SUNSHINE HAS BEEN
BURNED AS COAL, OIL, AND GAS.
THE EXHAUST HAS TRANSFORMED THE
ENTIRE ATMOSPHERE AND OCEAN.
IT IS LIKE A POLLUTION BLANKET
AND THE RESULT WE KNOW, HAS
BEEN CLIMATE CHANGE.
HOW MUCH MORE OF THAT
FOSSILIZED SUNSHINE CAN WE BURN
BEFORE FURTHER DESTABILIZING
THE EARTH SYSTEM?
NOT MUCH.
THINK OF IT AS A CARBON BUDGET.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ADDING 55
BILLION METRIC TONS OF
GREENHOUSE GASES TO THE
ATMOSPHERE EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS THE GIGATON CHALLENGE,
AT THAT PLACE WE WILL HAVE
BIRDS OR THE REMAINING BUDGET
IN 2030.
TO GIVE US ROOM TO RID THE
WORLD MUST REDUCE GREENHOUSE
POLLUTION BY MORE THAN 7% EACH
YEAR, EVERY YEAR OF THIS
DECADE.
STARTING NOW.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO
DO THAT.
LET’S START BY LOOKING AT THE
GREENHOUSE GASES THEMSELVES.
CO2 MAKES UP NEARLY 75% OF THE
POLLUTION EMITTED EACH YEAR.
THERE IS ALSO NITROUS OXIDE, AND
KNOWN AS LAUGHING GAS, BUT IT
IS NO LAUGHING MATTER.
PHARMACIES ARE MAKING UP 6% OF
THE TOTAL.
AND THEN ALSO THERE IS NATURAL
GAS.
THERE ARE OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES
THAT MAKE UP THE WHOLE CLIMATE
CHALLENGE, ALL OF US NEED TO
SEE THIS.
NOTHING IS BETTER AT TRAPPING
THE SUN’S HEAT WHICH MEANS
CUTTING METHANE IS A NECESSARY
AND FAST ACTING STIMULUS FOR
OUR CARBON BUDGET.
IF METHANE EMISSIONS FROM
AGRICULTURE AND THE OIL AND GAS
INDUSTRY CAN BE ELIMINATED IN
THE SECOND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO
STAVE OFF CATASTROPHES LIKE THE
LOSS OF THE ARCTIC SEA ICE AND
GLACIERS ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
CO2 HAS A LONGER LIFE.
ONCE IT IS ADDED TO THE
ATMOSPHERE IT CAN STAY UP THERE
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
IF NOT LONGER.
CO2 EMISSIONS MUST BE CUT IN
HALF IN 2030.
AND THEN WE JUST A BIT FURTHER
BY 2040, TO PUT THE WORLD ON A
PATH OF ADDING NO MORE CO2 TO
THE AIR BY 2050.
THAT MEANS TRANSFORMING THE
MODERN WORLD AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO BREAK
DOWN THE SOURCES OF GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS.
HERE, WE ARE USING THE PUBLIC
CLIMATE WATCH DATA.
START WITH ENERGY.
THE MAJORITY OF MODERN ENERGY
COMES FROM FOSSIL FUELS WHICH
MAKES THE ENERGY SECTOR 76% OF
THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
INCLUDING THE FUELS USED FOR
TRANSPORTATION, INDUSTRIAL
PROCESSES, AND ACT NATURAL
PRODUCTION.
THE QUICK TO CLEAN ENERGY MUST
BE ACCELERATED BY AN ORDER OF
MAGNITUDE IF WE WANT ANYTIME TO
RESTRAIN GLOBAL WARMING TO 1.5
DEGREES CELSIUS.
AND THERE WILL BE MORE WAYS TO
STORE ENERGY, WHETHER PUTTING
IN THE CHEMICAL BONDS OF A
BATTERY OR INTO A MOLECULE OF
HYDROGEN.
BATTERIES AND CLEAN HYDROGEN
ARE ALSO GOING TO PLAY A KEY
ROLE IN CLEANING UP
TRANSPORTATION WHICH ACCOUNTS
FOR 70% OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND
POLLUTION.
INCLUDING THE USE OF ENERGY TO
MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS AROUND.
8% IS CARS, PFEIFFER SENT
TRUCKS AND OTHER HEAVY-DUTY
VEHICLES, AND FOR% FROM
SHIPPING.
AND AVIATION.
WITH ABUNDANT CLEAN ELECTRICITY
THE WORLD CAN WIN THE RACE TO
ELECTIVE ICONS AND CREATE
CLEANER ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR
TRUCKS, SHIPS, AND EVEN, ONE
DAY, AIRPLANES.
THEN, THERE ARE OUR LIFE-SIZE,
THE MATERIALS THAT MAKE IT
POSSIBLE.
EVERYTHING FROM CEMENT AND FUEL
THAT GOES INTO BUILDING TO THE
PLASTIC FIBERS IN FASHION.
ALL TOLD, THESE MATERIALS FOR
6% OF OUR EMISSIONS.
ON TOP OF THE ENERGY EMISSIONS
REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THEM.
AND WE WILL NEED NEW AND CLEAN
WAYS TO MAKE THEM OR REPLACE
THEM.
FARMING AND ANIMAL RAISING ALSO
HAVE TO CHANGE.
AGRICULTURE ACCOUNTS FOR 12
PRESENTED GREENHOUSE GAS
POLLUTION.
THAT MEANS EVERYTHING FROM HOW
AND WHAT PEOPLE EAT TO HOW AND
WHAT CHICKENS AND PIGS EAT.
IT ALSO MEANS FINDING WAYS FOR
FARM FIELDS TO GO FROM SOURCES
OF GREENHOUSE GASES TO PLACES
WHERE GREENHOUSE GASES ARE
BURIED.
AGRICULTURE IS ALSO THE BIGGEST
DIRECT IMPACT PEOPLE HAVE ON
THE PLANTS, ANIMALS, MICROBES
AND FUNGI THAT SHOW THE PLANET
WITH US.
TO TRULY SOLVE THE CLIMATE
CHALLENGE, THE WORLD WILL HAVE
TO PROTECT AND RESTORE, TO
ALLOW ALL OF LIFE’S MYRIAD
FORMS TO FLORENCE.
A HALT IN CUTTING DOWN FORESTS,
BURNING PEATLANDS AND
CONVERTING COASTAL WETLANDS TO
PREVENT THE RELEASE OF NEARLY 5
BILLION METRIC TONS OF
GREENHOUSE GASES EACH YEAR.
RESTORING NEARLY 200 MILLION
HECTARES OF GRADED FOREST,
PEATLANDS AND FORESIGHT COULD
ALSO OBSERVE ALMOST ANOTHER 4
BILLION METRIC TONS.
PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT,
THE OCEAN IS A VAST POTENTIAL
TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES IF
WE PROTECT IT.
FINALLY, THERE ARE TECHNOLOGIES
BEING DEVELOPED TO DRAW DOWN
CO2 FROM THE VISITOR BECAUSE
WE’VE ALREADY EMITTED TOO MUCH.
BUT VERY FEW OF THESE HAVE BEEN
DEPLOYED AND THEY ARE TOO
EXPENSIVE TO SCALE UP FASTER.
THIS IS THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
GOING FROM ADDING 85 BILLION
METRIC TONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES
TO THE AIR EACH YEAR, TO ADDING
ZERO BY 2050.
AT THE LATEST.
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS NOW.
DAVID, I WILL BE HONEST, I
FIND IT HARD TO CONCEPTUALIZE
THIS.
LIKE 65 BILLION METRIC TONS,
THAT IS A HEAVY THING, OF
GREENHOUSE GAS, THAT IS A LIGHT
THING.
IT HAS TO BE A LOT OF A LIGHT
THING TO MAKE UP THAT MUCH OF
HEAVY, BUT THAT IS A LOT.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO GET HALF
OF THAT BY 2030, NONE OF THAT
BY 2050.
FOR A LOT, A LOT, IS THAT EVEN
POSSIBLE?
IT IS A BIG PROBLEM.
I AM NOT GOING TO LIE.
AND, HONESTLY, WE ARE NOT GOING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THAT 55 BILLION NUMBER IS STILL
GROWING, SO IT IS GETTING TO BE
A BIGGER PROBLEM.
THE REALITY IS, CLIMATE CHANGE
IS ALREADY HERE.
WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS WE NEED
TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
SO YEAH, I DO.
SOUNDING LIKE GETTING TO
THAT YES IS GOING TO TAKE A
MIGHTY EFFORT.
THANK YOU, DAVID.
NOW LET’S WELCOME A AMAZING
ACTRESS AND LEADER, THE
REVEREND LENNY CUBA, PRESIDENT
AND CEO OF THE HIP HOP CAUCUS.
WE ENSURE THAT THE INJUSTICE
OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS, MEANING
THOSE THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM
FOSSIL FUELS FOR YEARS AND
DECADES, THAT THE INGESTION
THAT WAS BEING CAUSED, THEY CAN
FIND JUSTICE.
THEY CAN FIND RESOLVE IN
REGARDS TO THE ASPECT OF
CHANGING ENERGY POVERTY IN THE
COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY ARE PAYING
MORE FOR THE UTILITY BILL, THEY
CAN TRANSITION TO CLEAN
ELECTRICITY STANDARDS.
IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
CLAIMANT JUSTICE MEANS ALSO A
JUST TRANSITION.
SO THAT WHEN WE TRANSITION FROM
FOSSIL FUELS TO CLEAN ENERGY,
THAT WE TRANSITION IN A WAY
THAT HELPS ALL COMMUNITIES.
THAT WE DON’T PROP UP THE
SYSTEM OF WHITE SUPREMACY, OR
THIS SYSTEM OF COLONIALISM THAT
TAKES AWAY THE POWER FROM THOSE
COMMUNITIES.
WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS
FOR ALL COMMUNITIES TO BE
LIFTED UP. THAT IS THE MOST
AMAZING PART ABOUT THIS CRISIS.
THE MOST AMAZING PART ABOUT
THIS CRISIS, IS THAT IT BRINGS
US ALL TOGETHER.
BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, RED, MALE,
FEMALE, STRAIGHT, . HUMANS.
THIS CRISIS HAS FORCED US TO
BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN WIN
THIS CRISIS, IS IF WE ALL COME
TOGETHER.
IF WE DON’T COME TOGETHER WE
LOSE.
AND SO THAT, IS THE ONLY WAY IT
HAPPENS BUT THAT IS THE WORD WE
HAVE TO GET OUT THERE.
WE CAN SOLVE IT TOGETHER.
BUT, DIVIDED WE FAIL.
THANK YOU, REVEREND
YEARWOOD.
CLIMATE CHANGE DOES AFFECT
LITERALLY EVERY PERSON ON THE
PLANET.
AND RACIAL INJUSTICE, POVERTY,
MASS MIGRATION, NATURAL
DISASTERS, EVEN PANDEMICS,
THESE ARE ALL CONNECTED AND
CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING ALL OF
THEM WORSE.
NOW, THIS IS THE THOUGHT WHERE
I USUALLY START TO SPIRAL INTO
DESPAIR.
AND, SO, TO PULL MYSELF AND ALL
OF US OUT OF THAT, I AM GOING
TO THROW TO A MAN WHO IS EITHER
THE FUNNIEST CLIMATE ACTIVISTS
I CAN THINK OF, OR THE CLIMATE
ACTIVIST INTEREST COMMUNITY
COMEDIAN.
RAINN WILSON.
GOOD EVENING, IT IS ME,
RAINN WILSON AND I REACHED OUT
TO SOME OF THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE
OF THE PLANET AND ASKED THEM
THIS VERY INTERESTING AND
CHALLENGING QUESTION.
IS THERE ANYTHING FUNNY ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE?
IS THERE ANYTHING FUNNY
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
IS THERE ANYTHING FUNNY
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
THERE IS SO MUCH, IT’S
HILARIOUS.
I MEAN, RISING SEAS, AND CROPS
FAILING, AND FOREST FIRES,
DEVASTATING HUGE TRACTS OF THE
EARTH.
I MEAN, THIS GOES ON AND ON AND
ON.
I PERSONALLY THINK HUMOR CAN
BE FOUND IN ABSOLUTELY
ANYTHING.
I THINK WITH A SUBJECT LIKE TO
CHANGE IT IS A LOT TOUGHER
BECAUSE IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER.
BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY HUMOR
IN THERE.
AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
OKAY.
ME FIND SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE.
.
GIVE ME A SECOND.
MINNESOTA WILL BE THE NEW
MONACO, AND WHAT WAS ONCE A
PUNCHLINE, I TELL YOU, IS NOW A
PLACE OF REFUGE.
FROM THE FIRE AND TORNADOES.
YAY DARKNESS.
I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY, SO WE
HAVE THE JERSEY SHORE WHICH
WILL SADLY BE WASHED AWAY.
HERE IS THE THING, I AM IN
MISSISSIPPI, RIGHT NOW AND I
CAME OUTSIDE SO THAT I COULD
MAKE THIS VIDEO.
THERE IS THE IMAGE OF
EVERYBODY WATCHING THE JERSEY
SHORE TO SEE THAT PEOPLE WITH
THE FIST BUMPING AND STRAIGHT
HAND SINCE THEY WERE NINE YEARS
OLD AND THEN THEY GET WASHED
OUT TO SEA.
DROPPING AROUND LIKE ORANGE
BUTTERFLIES, HUMANS WITH THEIR
SPIKY HAIR AND PROTRUDING FROM
THE SURFACE OF THE WATER LIKE
SHARK FINS.
AND IT WILL BE HARD TO SURVIVE.
THAT MAKES ME LAUGH.
IT WOULD BE FUNNY IF I HAD A
STROKE AND DIED WHILE MAKING A
VIDEO.
ABOUT THE CLIMATE.
THAT WOULD BE FUNNY.
I HOPE THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
OKAY, OKAY, NO, THAT’S NOT
FUNNY.
OKAY, SO THEY DID NOT REALLY
ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT WE
WILL BRING BACK RAINN WILSON
AND HIS FRIENDS LATER, AND
HERE TO INTRODUCE THE FOUNDER
OF THE WHITAKER KEITH AND
DEVELOPMENT MEASURE, FOREST
WHITAKER.
WE HAVE DEFINING SOCIAL
CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME,
AFFECTING EVERY CONTINENT EVERY
COUNTRY AND EVERY PERSON.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS BY 2050
OR SOONER.
WHAT DOES THAT ZERO MEAN
EXACTLY?
AS WE HAVE HEARD, WE ARE
CURRENTLY PUMPING 55 BILLION
TONS A PLANET WARMING
GREENHOUSE GASES LIKE CARBON
DIOXIDE AND METHANE INTO OUR
ATMOSPHERE EACH YEAR.
WITH 0.7 FOR EACH PERSON ON THE
PLANET.
THE LARGEST SOURCE OF THOSE
EMISSIONS, GLOBALLY, IS COAL,
GAS, AND OIL FOR ELECTRICITY.
OTHER SOURCES INCLUDE INDUSTRY,
BUILDINGS, AND AGRICULTURE.
ONCE IN THE ABBESS ARE THOSE
CASSIS DON’T DISSOLVE THEY ARE
CUMULATIVE.
IT WAS THE PLANET AND WE DON’T
THINK THAT THE EXTREME WEATHER
EVENTS WILL WRECK ECONOMIES AND
DISPLACE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
IN QUALITY AND POVERTY WILL BE
REINFORCED AROUND CAUSING
UPHEAVALS AND EVENTUALLY MORE.
THE WORK OF MY FOUNDATION TO
THE MOST VULNERABLE PLACES IN
THE WORLD HAS A VERSE ON THE
DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES OF
CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR
COMMUNITIES.
WE CAN REDUCE EMISSIONS TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING
MORE TO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND ALSO
GIVE MORE TO NATURE.
THAT IS NET ZERO AND
ESSENTIALLY IT IS GETTING US
OUT OF DANGER ON THE PATH TO
BETTER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE
EQUITABLE FUTURE.
THESE NEXT COUNT IS BECAUSE
WILL SHARE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO BOTH
REDUCE AND REMOVE GREENHOUSE
GASES.
WHETHER IT IS INNOVATIVE
SOCIALIZING OR CUTTING EDGE
TECHNOLOGY.
WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK.
CLIMATE POLICY AND
AGREEMENTS ARE COMPLICATED.
BUT WHAT IS SIMPLE, IS THAT THE
MAJORITY OF EMISSIONS THAT ARE
TRAPPED IN OUR ATMOSPHERE TODAY,
COME FROM THREE PRODUCTS.
OIL, GAS, AND COAL.
FOR DECADES, OUR COUNTRIES HAVE
BEEN NEGOTIATING TARGETS.
BUT BEHIND OUR BACKS, THE
FOSSIL YOU WILL INDUSTRY HAS
BEEN GROWING PRODUCTION.
AND LOCKING IN FURTHER
EMISSIONS.
I STARTED REACHING OUT TO
CLIMATE POLICY EXPERTS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD.
BECAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT FRAMEWORKS EXIST TO
NEGOTIATE WHO GETS TO PRODUCE
WHAT?
AND HOW MUCH.
WHAT POLICIES HELP GOVERNMENTS
REGULATE, CONSTRAIN THE
PRODUCTION SIDE OF FOSSIL FUELS?
I FOUND OUT THAT VERY FEW DO.
WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH FOSSIL
FUELS IN EXISTING
INSTALLATIONS, EVEN IF WE STOP
EXPANSION TODAY, OF OIL, GAS,
AND COAL IN EXISTING PROJECTS
TO USE WHILE WE CAREFULLY MANAGE
A FACEDOWN.
AND, SO, THE WORLD IS SPENDING
ITS INTELLECTUAL, FINANCIAL,
TECHNICAL CAPITAL TO DIG UP
STUFF THAT WE KNOW WE CAN’T
BURN.
AND IF WE DO, IT WILL BURN US.
SO, WHAT DO WE DO?
A YEAR AGO A GROUP OF ACADEMICS
, ADVOCATES, SCIENTISTS AND
FORMER DIPLOMATS, CAME TOGETHER
TO CREATE THE FOSSIL FUEL
NONPROLIFERATION INITIATIVE, TO
CREATE THE MISSING FRAMEWORK.
SO COUNTRIES CAN NEGOTIATE A
WIND DOWN OF FOSSIL FUELS IN A
WAY THAT IS FAIR.
IN A WAY THAT IS EQUITABLE.
SO HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS.
SUPPORT FOR THE TREATY IS
GROWING.
EVERY DAY I AM SO EXCITED TO
TURN ON MY COMPUTER.
101 NOBEL LAUREATES INCLUDING
THE DALAI LAMA HAVE ENDORSED
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE FOSSIL
FUEL TREATY.
CITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
ARE PASSING MOTIONS THAT HAVE
THE CITY COUNCIL ENFORCING THE
FOSSIL FUEL TREATY.
RUSSELL LUNA, LA, VANCOUVER.
OVER 100 ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD, FROM 20
COUNTRIES STARTED IN THE GLOBAL
SOUTH.
HAVE ENDORSED THE PRINCIPLES OF
A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY.
OVER 2000 SCIENTISTS HAVE NOW
ENDORSED THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
FOSSIL FUEL TREATY. INDIGENOUS
LEADERS, YOUTH GROUPS, OVER 800
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WHO
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOSSIL FUEL
PROJECTS FOR DECADES.
ARE NOW CALLING ON THEIR
GOVERNMENTS TO NEGOTIATE A
TREATY TO KEEP IT IN THE GROUND.
A FOSSIL FUEL TREATY WILL HELP
US WIND DOWN THE PRODUCTION OF
FOSSIL FUELS.
IT WILL PROVIDE A COMPLIMENT AND
HELP US ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF
THE PARIS ACCORD.
IT IS A BIG, BOLD, NEW IDEA BUT
AT THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY, WE
NEED SOME BIG, BOLD, NEW IDEAS.
IN THE TIME IT TOOK ME TO
WALK ONSTAGE, AROUND 10 SECONDS,
MORE THAN 10,000 METRIC TONS OF
CLIMATE WARMING GASES HAVE BEEN
PUMPED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE FROM
HUMAN ACTIONS.
99% OF THIS POLLUTION IS CARBON
DIOXIDE.
CO2.
AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO REDUCE
IT.
THE OTHER 1% IS ALMOST ENTIRELY
METHANE.
WHICH MOSTLY COMES FROM
PRODUCING FOSSIL FUELS,
MANAGING WASTE, AND RAISING
LIVESTOCK.
BUT THAT 1% OF METHANE COULD
CAUSE MORE WARMING OVER THE NEXT
10 YEARS THAT ALL THAT CO2.
THIS IS BECAUSE METHANE ABSORBS
A LOT MORE ENERGY PER UNIT
MASS.
FOR REASONS RELATING TO ITS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE, AND ITS
ABILITY TO FORM OTHER
GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE
ATMOSPHERE.
CO2 IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT CAN
LINGER IN THE ATMOSPHERE LONG
AFTER IT IS EMITTED.
WHICH MEANS WE MUST ACHIEVE NET
ZERO EMISSIONS TO EVENTUALLY
STABILIZE OUR CLIMATE.
THIS IS KEY FOR PROTECTING
GENERATIONS TO COME.
BUT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ALREADY
DEVASTATING SO MANY LIVES
TODAY, WE CAN’T FOCUS ONLY ON
THE DISTANT FUTURE.
MY WORK AS A SCIENTIST IS TO
IDENTIFY WAYS TO SLOW DOWN
WARMING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT WE CAN LOWER THE RISKS
OF WORSENING DAMAGES IN THE
NEAR FUTURE.
THIS IS WHERE METHANE COMES IN.
THAT 1% OF METHANE MAY CAUSE
MORE WARMING THAN ALL THAT CO2
IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
BUT IT ONLY LASTS IN THE ABBESS
FOR ONLY A DECADE.
METHANE’S WARMING POWER IS
THEREFORE NOT FROM THE GRADUAL
BUILDUP OVER TIME LIKE CO2, BUT
ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM RECENT
EMISSIONS.
THIS MEANS THAT EVERY TIME WE
REDUCE METHANE WE CAN REDUCE A
LOT OF WARMING, RIGHT AWAY.
IN FACT, CUTTING METHANE IS THE
SINGLE FASTEST MOST EFFECTIVE
OPPORTUNITY TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW
DOWN THE RATE OF WARMING.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE NOT ONLY
DOES METHANE ACT FAST, BUT
BECAUSE WE CAN ACT FAST.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO CUT
METHANE EMISSIONS FROM HUMAN
ACTIVITIES IN HALF.
AND EVEN BETTER, MANY OF THESE
SOLUTIONS PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
THE SINGLE LARGEST LAND,
AFRICA, AND A QUARTER OF ALL
LAND IS USED FOR LIVESTOCK.
THAT IS MORE THAN A FOREST OR
ANYTHING ELSE.
MOST OF THAT LAND IS BEST FOR
COWS.
THAT CAN DIGEST HIGH-FIBER
SEEDS SUCH AS GRASS AND SALT.
HOWEVER THE PROCESS BY WHICH
GRASS AND FIBER IS BROKEN UP IN
THE STOMACHS OF COWS AND OTHER
GRADING RUMINANTS, HAS PRODUCED
METHANE. A
GREENHOUSE GAS.
DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD
ABOUT METHANE AND COWS, MOST OF
THE METHANE IS ACTUALLY FROM
COWS, NOT TO THE BACKEND.
IT IS BURPING.
THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 2 BILLION
POUNDS OF CARBON DIOXIDE
EQUIVALENTS PER YEAR, OR MORE
THAN 4% OF OUR ANNUAL GLOBAL
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
WE HAVE A METHANE PROBLEM. SO
HOW CAN YOU REDUCE THIS METHANE
BURPS?
MY COLLEAGUES AND I MAY HAVE
FOUND A SOLUTION.
SEAWEED.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
SOME SEAWEED CONTAINS
INGREDIENTS THAT DIRECTLY
INHIBIT MICROBES IN THE COWS
GOT FROM FORMING METHANE.
WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH FOOD
DIGESTION.
THE AMOUNT OF METHANE PRODUCED
IS DEPENDENT UPON HOW MUCH THE
ANIMAL IS EATING AND WHAT IS IN
THE DIET, AND AS SUCH, PREVIOUS
EFFORTS TO REDUCE METHANE
EMISSIONS FOCUSED ON CHANGING
THE DIET OR IMPROVING FOREST
QUALITY.
AND WE DO HAVE POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS OTHER THAN SEAWEED TO
REDUCE METHANE EMISSIONS.
ONE OF THE ADDITIVES TO FEED
SUCH AS THIS REDUCE EMISSIONS
BY ABOUT 30%, EVEN GARLIC AND
CITRUS EXTRACTS CAN REDUCE
METHANE BURPS BY OVER 20%
WITHOUT AFFECTING ANIMAL HEALTH
AND ACTIVITY.
NOW, YOU MAY ASK WHY NOT STOP
EATING BEEF AND DRINKING MILK?
AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD
QUESTION.
SO, I DON’T THINK A PLANT-BASED
DIET WITH SUPPLEMENTS MAY HELP
SHRINK A PERSON’S CARBON
FOOTPRINT IN HIGH INCOME
COUNTRIES LIKE THE U.S. BUT,
FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD,
THESE ARE FOODS ARE NEEDED TO
PROVIDE KEY NUTRIENTS SUCH AS
VITAMIN B12 AND VITAMIN A WHICH
ARE CRITICAL FOR BRAIN FUNCTION
, VISION, AND IMMUNITY.
THESE ARE FOUND ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY IN BEEF AND MILK.
ALL WE NEED NOW, IS FOR
GOVERNMENTS TO STEP UP AND
FACILITATE THE USE OF THIS
METHANE BESTING FOOD ADDITIVES.
INDUSTRIES IN SOME COUNTRIES
HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO
CLIMATE EQUALITY BY 2050, BUT
IF WE CAN GET THIS FOOD
ADDITIVE INNOVATIONS INTO COWS
STOMACHS EARLIER, WE CAN CUT
METHANE BURPS SIGNIFICANTLY.
GIVEN THAT METHANE ONLY LASTS
IN THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A DECADE
OR SO, WE COULD EVEN SLOW
GLOBAL WARMING IN THE SHORT
TERM.
ABOUT 600 MILLION PEOPLE IN
AFRICA STILL DON’T HAVE
RELIABLE ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY.
AFRICA NEEDS ENERGY AND LOTS OF
ENERGY.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT KIND?
OF ENERGY, AND IN 2013, THE
GOVERNMENT OF MY COUNTRY,
GHANA, BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS TO
CONSTRUCT A CALL PLAN.
A 700 MEGAWATTS COAL PLANT. IN
THE CENTER REGION OF GHANA.
IN AFRICA, ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE PRIORITY.
AND THOSE WITH THE SAME
ARGUMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY
THOSE WHO WERE IN SUPPORT OF
THE PROJECT.
THEY CLAIMED THAT THE PROJECT
FOR THE COLD PLANT WOULD HAVE
TRADED JOBS FOR PEOPLE AND ALSO
EXPANDED THE ECONOMY OF THE
COUNTRY.
BUT WE KNOW THAT CALL IS THE
MOST TERRIBLE FORM OF THE
GENERATION.
FROM A CLIMATE POINT OF VIEW,
COAL IS CHEAP.
BUT THAT IS ONLY TRUE WHEN WE
IGNORE PARTS OF THE USE OF
COAL.
GHANA AND AFRICA NEED ENERGY.
BUT WE DON’T WANT CALL TO BE
THAT ENERGY.
WE HAVE MANAGED TO SHUT DOWN
THE COAL PLANT AND WE DIDN’T
WANT CALL TO BE PART OF THE
COUNTRY’S ENERGY SYSTEM.
OUR EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT
RESISTANCE IS POSSIBLE.
HOW?
BY BRINGING A CONVERSATION THE
ADVERSE IMPACTS AND REALITIES
OF THE COAL PLANT, SECONDLY, BY
PROVIDING CLEAN ALTERNATIVES.
AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, BY
INVOLVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
THAT WILL BE IMPACTED. THEY
MUST ALSO HAVE A SAFE WAY TO BE
IN THE CONVERSATION.
IN THE LAST DECADE ECONOMY HAS
MOVED AT A FAST PACE.
IT HAS LOWERED ITS COST
DRAMATICALLY.
AFRICA CAN AND MUST DEVELOP
WITH ALL THE ENERGY IT
REQUIRES, WITHOUT INCURRING THE
DISASTROUS IMPACTS OF COAL.
I HAVE SEEN DESIRED
CONSEQUENCES IN DEVELOPING
CLEAN AIR MUST NOT USE CALL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO FOREST AND ALL
OF THE SPEAKERS, COMING UP WE
HAVE MORE TALKS FROM THE TED
COUNTDOWN STAGE AND WE WILL BE
HEARING FROM VICE PRESIDENT AL
GORE, PLUS MICHAELA JAC
RODRIGUEZ, JOAQUIN PHOENIX,
ROONEY MARA, PERFORMANCES BY
VALERIE JUNE AND DAVE MATTHEWS.
NOW, DAVID, LISTENING TO
EXCERPTS FROM THE TALK, IT IS
CLEAR TO ME WHAT CORPORATIONS
NEED TO DO.
WHAT COUNTRIES NEED TO DO.
BUT, THE THING THAT TRIPS ME UP
IS, LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE
TO DO WITH ME?
I AM JUST ONE GUY, I AM JUST A
SMALL FRY.
YEAH, DOES ANYTHING I DO MATTER
, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?
FOR BETTER OR WORSE?
PERSONAL, ALL THOSE ENTITIES
THAT YOU MENTIONED,
CORPORATIONS, COUNTRIES, ARE
MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS.
OF COURSE WHAT YOU DO AS AN
INDIVIDUAL MATTERS.
YOU MAY THINK OF YOURSELF AS A
SMALL FRY BUT I THINK OF YOU AS
SOMEBODY WHO MAYBE WORKS FOR A
CORPORATION AND MAYBE YOU CAN
PUSH THAT CORPORATION TO TAKE
MORE CLIMATE ACTION.
I THINK OF YOU AS A CITIZEN, AS
A BOATER.
MAYBE YOU CAN VOTE FOR CLIMATE
AWARE CANDIDATES, AND PUSH
THEM.
TO TAKE STRONGER CLIMATE
ACTIONS.
YOU ARE ALSO A MEMBER OF A
COMMUNITY, A FAMILY MEMBER, A
DAD, A BROTHER, A SON.
PROBABLY ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS
WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE
WILL GET THIS DONE.
DATES, DAVID, YOU MAKE ME
FEEL IMPORTANT.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HOW YOU
CAN TAKE ACTION, TED COUNTDOWN
SPEAKER, WHO USE ARE THERE, HAS
PARTNERED WITH AN INITIATIVE
CALLED COUNT US IN TO HELP US
ALL BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
TO FIND OUT MORE GO TO
COUNTDOWN.TED.COM.
IT SOUNDS KIND OF TRIVIAL, BUT
WHAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
ASSET YOU HAVE, IS YOUR
ATTENTION.
TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING,
TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR FAMILY,
TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR
FRIENDS, WITH YOUR DENTAL
HYGIENIST.
CIRCLE UP WITH AN AMPLIFIED
TALK WITH FOLKS IN YOUR
COMMUNITY WHO ARE WORKING ON
THE COOK SOLUTIONS, YOU CAN
EVEN, I DON’T KNOW, HOST A 10 X
EVENT ABOUT IT.
TAKE A LOOK.
‘S
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE ]
THE COUNTY IS ORGANIZING A
COUNT ON EVENT TO INSPIRE,
INVOKE, AND ENCOURAGE
CORRECTIVE ACTION TO MITIGATE
THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF OUR
TIME.
I MAY CHANGE.
WE NEED A SAFE ENVIRONMENT,
IT IS NOT DEBATABLE, AS A
RESULT I’M ORGANIZING MY
COMMUNITY.
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
I AM ORGANIZING A COUNT ON
EVENT FOR MY COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP THEM
UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY MAKES
A DIFFERENCE.
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
]
WE CAN CHANGE THE CLIMATE
CHANGE.
JOINED ME,
JOINED ME, JOIN ME IN TAKING
ACTION TODAY.
WHAT BETTER WORLD CAN WE
BUILD TOGETHER IF WE TOLD MORE
STORIES ABOUT OUR COOPERATIVE
NATURE?
ABOUT OUR DEEP CONNECTION TO
THE WORLD.
OR IF WE SERVE VISIONS OF THE
FUTURE, NOT BY SOME HOLLYWOOD
DISCOVERY, DEVOID OF ANYTHING,
BUT SHARED VISIONS OF A
THRIVING, ECOLOGICAL
CIVILIZATION BUILT ON NATURES
ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES.
EVERY DAY WE TELL STORIES.
TO OURSELVES, TO OUR FRIENDS,
AND ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORM.
WHAT STORIES ARE YOU CHOOSING
TO TELL?
ARE THEY CONTINUING TO ENFORCE
A NARRATIVE OF THIS GENERATION
OR INSPIRING AND EXCITING
OTHERS WITH STORIES OF
REGENERATION.
I AM COMMITTED TO FIGHTING
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOLVING THE
CLIMATE CRISIS.
TO CHANGING CLIMATE CHANGE
BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT WHILE
PIPER’S
TO HONOR MY ANCESTORS AND
PROTECT MY KIDS FUTURE.
I CAN EAT A BETTER WORLD FOR
MY TWO LITTLE SCIENTISTS AT
HOME FOR US.
WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE.
BUT TO FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE
GENERATIONS
I AM EXCITED FOR THE GREEN
FUTURE I WANT CLEANER ENERGY,
YES, IT IS SO EXCITING.
EVERYTHING ON THIS PLANET
SHARE THE SAME ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE NEED TO PROTECT IT I RE-
WHILE THE NATURAL PLACES, WE
CAN ENSURE THE WILDERNESS IS
PRESERVED FOR GENERATIONS TO
COME.
THIS IS OUR TIME.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT, SO I AM
GOING TO DO ALL THAT I CAN FOR
THE NEXT GENERATION TO HAVE
CLEAN WATER, AND CLEAN AIR.
PEOPLE OF EARTH, THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR JOINING US FOR THOSE
JUST TUNING IN THIS IS
COUNTDOWN AND WE ARE COMING
LIVE FROM THE TED THEATER IN
NEW YORK CITY, I AM A HOUSE,
LATIF NASSER.
COUNTDOWN PARTNERED WITH
CLIMATE INDIVIDUALS TO SUBMIT
PHOTOGRAPHS RELATED TO CLIMATE
PROBLEMS.
THEY RECEIVED OVER 5000 FROM
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND 185
COUNTRIES, DURING THE
PERFORMANCE OR WAS HE JUST SOME
OF THE EYE-POPPING IMAGES THAT
CAME IN.
HERE WITH HER SONG, ASTRAL
PLANES, AS SINGER, SONGWRITER,
VALERIE JUNE.
♪
WHEN WE GET INTO THE BODY WE
CONCENTRATE LIGHT AND SARDIS,
WE HUMANS ARE STARDUST.
WE HAVE THIS LIGHT IN US AND WE
ARE BORN TO SHINE IN THIS BODY.
WE COME IN ALL SIZES AND ALL
SHAPES.
AND WE HAVE ONE JOB TO DO IN
THIS LIFE AND, LIKE I SAID, IT
IS TO SHINE.
AND SIGN FULLY, AND COMPLETELY,
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT SOMETIMES WE FORGET AND
TURN ON THE NEWS AND IT TELLS
US TO FORGET, FORGET, FORGET,
DON’T SHINE.
I AM TELLING YOU, SO THAT YOU
CAN REMEMBER, SHINE FEARLESSLY
TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR PLANET
AND OUR FUTURE.
♪ IS THERE A LIGHT YOU HAVE
INSIDE YOU?
CAN’T TOUCH.
A LOOKING GLASS CAN ONLY SHOW
YOU SO MUCH, BUT IF YOU FOLLOW
THE SIGNS, SLOWLY BUT STEADILY,
DON’T RUSH. THE DAY WILL COME
WHEN YOU ARE READY JUST TRUST.
YOU’LL BE DANCING ON THE ASTRAL
PLANE.
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN.
FLOATING THROUGH THE
STRATOSPHERE, BLIND, BUT YET
SEE SO CLEAR.
IS THERE A WAY?
FOR YOU TO SHINE WITHOUT FEAR?
OUT FROM OTHER WORLDS, THAT CAN
YOU SAY WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE.
DANCING ON THE ASTRAL PLANE.
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN,
FLOATING THROUGH THE
STRATOSPHERE.
BLIND, BUT YET SEE SO CLEAR.
DANCING ON THE ASTRAL PLANE.
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN.
FLOATING THROUGH THE
STRATOSPHERE, BLIND, BUT YET
YOU SEE SO CLEAR.
LINE, BUT YET YOU SEE, BLIND,
BUT YET YOU SEE, BLIND, BUT YET
YOU SEE, BLIND, BUT YET YOU SEE
SO CLEAR.
IS THERE A WAY?
FOR YOU TO GIVE IT ALL,
DREAMING A DREAM, OF SWEETER
THINGS GREAT OR SMALL.
DANCING ON THE ASTRAL PLANE,
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN.
FLOATING THROUGH THE
STRATOSPHERE, BLIND, BUT YET
YOU SEE SO CLEAR.
DANCING ON THE ASTRAL PLANE,
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN.
FLOATING TO THE STRATOSPHERE,
BLIND, BUT YET YOU SEE SO CLEAR.
DANCING ON THE ASTRAL PLANE,
HOLY WATER, CLEANSING RAIN.
FLOATING THROUGH THE
STRATOSPHERE, BLIND, BUT YET
YOU SEE SO CLEAR.
BLIND BUT YOU SEE, BLIND BULLET
YOU SEE, BLIND BUT YET YOU SEE,
BLIND BUT YET YOU SEE SO CLEAR.
THERE IS A LIGHT. THAT YOU HAVE
INSIDE YOU.
CAN YOU TOUCH. DON’T FORGET.
♪
BEAUTIFUL, THANK YOU,
VALERIE.
THE CLIMATE CHANGE MISSION HERE
AT COUNTDOWN IS PRETTY SIMPLE,
BREAK THE PROBLEM DOWN WITH
THE SOLUTIONS UP AND GET THEM
OUT INTO THE WORLD.
EARLIER WE HEARD THAT THE
SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
WE MUST CUT EMISSIONS IN HALF
BY 2030.
THAT IS NOT LONG, NINE YEARS
AWAY ABOUT THE LIFESPAN OF A
RABBIT, NOT THAT LONG.
SO WHETHER IT IS A NEW SOLUTION
OR THE ONES WE’VE ALREADY GOT,
WE HAVE TO HOP TO IT.
NOW, EVEN IF YOU DON’T FULLY
UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE AND I
WILL BE TOTALLY HONEST, I DO
NOT.
MOST OF US JUST HAVE TO LOOK
OUTSIDE OUR WINDOWS TO WITNESS
FIRSTHAND THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
DON’T TAKE IT FROM ME, TAKE IT
FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND
AMERICA’S WEATHERMAN, AL ROKER.
FEROCIOUS TROPICAL STORMS
AND FLOODS, DEVASTATING
WILDFIRES AND DROUGHTS.
RECORD-BREAKING HEAT WAVES AND
COLD BLASTS.
I WILL TELL YOU, AS SOMEBODY
WHO HAS COVERED THE WEATHER ON
TELEVISION FOR MORE THAN 25
YEARS, WE HAVE NEVER BEFORE
WITNESSED SUCH EXTREME CLIMATE
EVENTS.
AND THESE ARE NOT HAPPENING
JUST IN OUR COUNTRY THEY ARE
HAPPENING ALL AROUND THE GLOBE.
AND MORE FREQUENTLY, AND MORE
SEVERELY.
AND SCIENTIFICALLY, CREDIBLE
SCIENTISTS AGREE THAT THESE
EVENTS ARE IN DIRECT RESULT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS ROOTED IN HUMAN
BEHAVIOR.
WE AS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY, IF WE
DON’T MAKE DRASTIC CHANGES
TODAY, KIDS WHO ARE BORN TODAY
WILL FACE A LIFETIME OF CLIMATE
DISASTERS.
JUST IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS,
JUST IN THE HURRICANES THAT WE
HAVE COVERED, THE RAPIDLY
INTENSIFYING STORMS THAT JUST
SEEM TO GO ON AND ON, THE
WILDFIRE SEASONS THAT DON’T
END.
IT IS TIME NOW FOR DECISIVE
ACTION.
WE HAVE TO TRY TO STOP OR AT
LEAST MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE
TO REDUCE EXTREME WEATHER AND,
MOST IMPORTANT, SAFEGUARD THE
FUTURE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR
PLANET.
FOR MORE ON EXTREME WEATHER,
LET’S LISTEN IN TO A
CONVERSATION BETWEEN DAVID
BIELLO AND VICE PRESIDENT AL
GORE AT THE COUNTDOWN SITE.
WHAT IS EXTREME WEATHER?
THE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING IN
RECENT YEARS, ARE CAUSED, IN
SIGNIFICANT MEASURE, BY ALL THE
MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING
POLLUTION THAT WE’VE BEEN
PUTTING INTO THE THEN THIN SHELL
ABOUT MISSOURI AROUND THE
PLANET.
THAT GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTION
ACCORDING TO SCIENTIST, HAS
TRAPPED HEAT BECAUSE THE EARTH
GETS ITS ENERGY FROM THE SUN
AND THEN, SOME OF THAT HEAT IS
RADIATED BACK INTO SPACE AS
INFRARED.
THERE IS A NATURAL GREENHOUSE
LAYER THAT KEEPS TEMPERATURES
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE
IDEAL FOR THE LIFE THAT HAS
EMERGED HERE ON EARTH.
BUT BY SICKENING THAT
GREENHOUSE GAS LAYER, WITH LOTS
OF CO2 FROM THE BURNING OF
FOSSIL FUELS AND METHANE AND SO
FORTH, IT TRAPS A LOT MORE
HEAT.
IN FACT, WE ARE PUTTING 162
MILLION TONS OF IT EVERY SINGLE
DAY, USING THE SKY AS AN OPEN
SEWER.
AND THE ACCUMULATED AMOUNT NOW
TRAPS AS MUCH EXTRA HEAT AS
WOULD BE RELEASED BY 600,000
FIRST-GENERATION NUCLEAR BOMBS
GOING OFF EVERY 24 HOURS.
THAT IS A LOT OF HEAT.
AND WHAT THAT DOES, IS DISRUPT
THE WATER CYCLE, THE WIND
PATTERNS ARE DIFFERENT, THE
OCEAN CURRENTS ARE NOW BEING
PUSHED TOWARD NEW PATTERNS, AND
SINCE WEATHER IS THE RESULT OF
CLIMATE PATTERNS THAT HAVE
EMERGED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF
TIME, WHEN THE CLIMATE PATTERN
IS PUSHED OUT OF ITS FAMILIAR
SHAPE THEN THE EXTREME WEATHER
EVENTS OCCUR.
SO DRY AIR GETS DRIER, WHAT
AREAS GET BETTER AND YOU JUST
GET SO MUCH MORE WATER IN A
SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME?
YES, THE EXTRA HEAT THAT IS
TRAPPED IN THE EARTH SYSTEM,
EVAPORATES A LOT MORE WATER
VAPOR OF THE OCEANS, THIS FEEDS
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS THAT, ON
AVERAGE, HAVE AS MUCH WATER AS
25 MISSISSIPPI RIVERS AND WHEN
THEY REACH STORM CONDITIONS THAT
TRIGGER A DOWNPOUR, YOU GET A
RAIN BOND AS SOME PEOPLE CALL
THEM, AND SOMETIMES IT IS AN
AIRBORNE TSUNAMI.
AND YOU GET ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF
RAIN.
ALSO, SO, IF THE CONDITIONS ARE
COLD ENOUGH.
AND THAT SAME HEAT ALSO PULLS
THE MOISTURE OUT OF THE FIRST
METER OF SOIL SO THAT THE
DROUGHTS TAKE HOLD MORE
QUICKLY.
AND LAST LONGER.
SO YOU GET BOTH MORE DROUGHTS
AND MORE FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.
ANYWHERE YOU LOOK, ALL
AROUND THE WORLD, EXTREME
WEATHER IS HAPPENING. CAN WE
EXPECT MORE OF THIS IN THE
FUTURE?
WILL HE GET WORSE?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
THE SCIENTISTS HAVE WARNED
US THAT AS BAD AS THESE EXTREME
WEATHER EVENTS ARE, THEY ARE
NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT WE
COULD EXPERIENCE IN THE FUTURE,
IF WE DON’T STOP USING THE SKY
AS AN OPEN SEWER FOR ALL OF
THIS HEAT GRABBING POLLUTION.
WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE THAT WE
WILL DO THAT?
THE HELP I FEEL, IS BASED IN
PART ON THE AMAZING PROGRESS
THAT SCIENTISTS AND
TECHNOLOGISTS HAVE MADE IN
DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES TO THE
BURNING OF FOSSIL FUEL.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IN PLACE OF
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, THAT
PUTS MORE CO2 BACK INTO THE
SOIL AND THE VEGETATION,
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY TO PROTECT
THE FOREST AREAS. PROTECTION OF
THE OCEANS, WE HAVE SEEN THE
SOLUTIONS EMERGE ALMOST LIKE
THE DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES IN
RECORD TIME.
WE HAVE SEEN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY GIVE US SOLUTIONS
FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN
RECORD TIME.
BUT JUST AS WITH THE VACCINE,
WE’VE GOT TO DEPLOY THEM AND WE
HAVE GOT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT OUR
POLITICAL DYSFUNCTIONS.
IN ORDER TO DEPLOY THEM ALL
AROUND THE WORLD.
WE ARE ONE WORLD, ECOLOGICALLY,
AND IN TERMS OF THE PANDEMIC
THREAT, CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF
THE CLIMATE RISES.
AND WE HAVE TO DEPLOY THESE
SOLUTIONS WORLDWIDE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE.
THANK YOU.
A BIG COUNTDOWN, THANK YOU,
TO VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE FOR
STARTING THIS ISSUE OUT FROM
THE ROOFTOPS FOR DECADES.
AND A SMALLER COUNTDOWN THEY
GIVE TO THE PLAZA MALL WHERE A
GRAPH FOR SELLING ME A PUT A
COPY OF HIS GROUNDBREAKING
DOCUMENTARY, LABELED AND
INCONVENIENT TRUTH.
THAT IS NOT A JOKE, I SIMPLY
SAY IT IS THE INCONVENIENT
TRUTH.
LET’S GET TO SOME OF THE
PEOPLE’S QUESTIONS FOR YOU, WE
ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF GREAT
ONES ABOUT ELECTRIC CAR
BATTERIES, OCEANS, THE IMPACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HEALTH.
WE WILL COVER THIS, DON’T
WORRY, IN TALKS COMING UP.
BUT HERE, LET’S JUST START WITH
THE PERSON I HAVE HER HERE FOR
YOU.
1.5 VERSUS TWO DEGREES CELSIUS,
DOES IT REALLY SOUND LIKE A BIG
DEAL?
LIKE I CAN RELATE, MY
THERMOSTAT AT HOME THERE IS NOT
EVEN AN OPTION FOR A HALF
DEGREE.
WHY DOESN’T HAVE TO MATTER?
THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION,
THANK YOU.
SO, ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT
IS TO ROLL IT BACK.
IF YOU WENT ROUGHLY THAT SAME
AMOUNT OF TEMPERATURE DOWN, THE
GLOBAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WE
WOULD BE BACK IN AN ICE AGE.
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE EARTH COVERED IN ICE AND
THE EARTH WE LIVE ON RIGHT NOW.
SO ROLL IT FORWARD, AND WE’VE
ONLY GOT ABOUT A DEGREES CELSIUS
SO FAR.
WE ARE ALREADY SEEING MORE
FIRES, FLOODS, DROUGHTS,
EXTREME WEATHER, LIKE YOU JUST
HEARD ABOUT.
WE HAVE TO STOP.
EVERY 10th OF A DEGREE MATTERS.
AND THAT IS WHY THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN 1.5 AND TWO IS SO
IMPORTANT.
IT IS NOT LIKE WE FALL OFF A
CLIFF AT 2, I WANT TO BE REAL,
BUT 2.1 IS INFINITELY BETTER
THAN 3. AND SO FORTH.
IT IS AN AVERAGE, TOO,
RIGHT?
YES, EXACTLY.
ANOTHER QUESTION, AND THIS
MAKES SENSE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
TALKING FROM THEIR WALLET,
ENERGY PRICES ARE RISING.
AROUND THE WORLD.
SOME PEOPLE BLAME RENEWABLE
ENERGY SOURCES LIKE SOLAR AND
WIND, IS THAT TRUE?
IT IS NOT.
SPOILER ALERT.
SO, THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS
IT IS THE REVERSE.
IT IS ACTUALLY FOSSIL FUELS
THAT ARE CAUSING THE INSTABILITY
IN MANAGING PRICES FOR YOU
DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR CENTER,
YOU DO HAVE TO PAY FOR COAL OIL
AND NATURAL GAS BECAUSE
SOMEBODY DUG IT UP.
AND WHAT IS HAPPENING, LET’S
TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF THE EU
WHERE THEY ARE HAVING AN ENERGY
CRISIS AND WHY?
IT IS NOT BECAUSE THEY BUILT
ALL THOSE WINDMILLS ARE PUT IN
ALL THE SOLAR PANELS AND ALL
THE OTHER THING THEY HAVE DONE,
IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE RELIANT
ON RUSSIAN GAS.
AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR RUSSIAN
GAS.
THAT’S IT.
ALL RIGHT, IF YOU HAVE MORE
QUESTIONS FOR DAVID, TO IS USING
THE HASHTAG #TEDCOUNTDOWN UP
WITH THEM IN THE CHAT BELOW.
NOW, LET’S WELCOME AN ACTOR,
SINGER, ACTIVIST WHO IS A
MEMBER OF CLIMATE POWERS
CREATIVE COUNSEL ADVISORY
BOARD, TO INTRODUCE MORE
MICHAELA JAC RODRIGUEZ.
I AM MICHAELA JAC RODRIGUEZ,
FOOD, WATER, AIR, THESE ARE THE
BARE MINIMUM WE NEED TO
SURVIVE.
AND THEY ARE ALL PROVIDED BY
THE AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL PLANET
WE CALL HOME.
BUT WE ARE DESTROYING IT.
ACTUALLY, REMOVER THE FIRST
TIME I SAW MY FIRST NATURAL
DISASTER, AND NOT ONLY WAS I
WORRY, AND SCARED, BUT I WAS
DRIVEN TO ACTION.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REVERSE
ALL THE DAMAGE WE HAVE CAUSED,
BUT WE CAN STOP ADDING TO THE
PROBLEM BY PROTECTING THE
INVALUABLE RESOURCES WE HAVE
LEFT.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
TRANSFORM OUR WILD SPACES
WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS,
ALLOWING NATURE TO HELP US
CLEAN UP OUR MESS AND, IN TURN,
SAVE MILLIONS OF LIVES.
WE MUST SAVE THE NATURAL WORLD
TO SAVE OURSELVES.
THESE NEXT 10 COUNTDOWN
SPEAKERS ARE HERE TO TELL US
HOW.
TODAY, GLOBALLY, ONLY 7% OF
THE OCEAN AND LESS THAN A FIFTH
OF OUR LAND HAS BEEN PROTECTED.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE
CONVERTED MOST OF OUR PLANET
INTO A PAYING ENVIRONMENT.
WHERE 90% OF THE MAMMALS IS US
AND OUR DOMESTICATED LIVESTOCK.
ONLY 4% IS EVERYTHING ELSE.
FROM PANDAS TO TIGERS TO
ELEPHANTS.
AND WE HAVE REMOVED OVER 90% OF
THE LARGE FISH IN THE OCEAN IN
THE LAST CENTURY ALONE.
ON TOP OF THE LAWS OF NATURE,
WE HAVE GLOBAL WARMING.
THE SUMMER OF 2021 HAS SEEN
SOME OF THE HOTTEST
TEMPERATURES IN HUMAN HISTORY.
IN PLACES THAT ONE WOULD EXPECT
TO BE CALLED.
LIKE CANADA, FINLAND, AND
SIBERIA.
HEAT KILLS HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, FUELS
RAGING WILDFIRES TURNING TOWNS,
FORCE, AND GRASSLANDS INTO
ASHES.
ALSO KILLING BILLIONS OF
INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS AND TREES.
AND MANY CORAL REEFS AROUND THE
WORLD.
NO PLACE IS SAFE ANYMORE.
UNLESS WE REALLY WILD OUR PLANET
, IF WE ARE TO PREVENT A GLOBAL
DISASTER, WE NEED TO DO TWO
THINGS, AS WE KNOW, WE NEED TO
REDUCE EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE
GASES TO ALMOST 0. BUT, WE ALSO
NEED TO THROW DOWN THE EXCESS
CARBON POLLUTION IN ABBOTSFORD
AND IN THE OCEAN.
THAT IS WHY IN 2018 I PUT
TOGETHER A TEAM OF TOP
SCIENTISTS AND ECONOMISTS TO
ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHICH IT
IS IN THE OCEAN, WE MUST
PROTECT FIRST WHILE WE NEED TO
KNOW HOW MUCH TO PROTECT, WE
DEVELOPED A NEW FRAMEWORK WITH
MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
THINKING WHICH AREAS TO
PROTECT, DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH WE
VALUE THE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES.
WE FOUND THAT IF WE GAVE THE
STATE WEIGHT TO EACH BUY FOOD
AND KARMA, WE WOULD WANT TO
PROTECT THE RIGHT 45% OF THE
OCEAN, TO MAXIMIZE THOSE THREE
BENEFITS.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT EVEN IF WE
DIDN’T VALUE BIODIVERSITY, THE
MINIMUM AMOUNT OF OCEAN WE
WOULD PROTECT WOULD BE 30%.
SO, 30% OF THE OCEAN IS THE
FLOOR, THE MINIMUM AREA, THAT
WE NEED TO PROTECT IF WE WANT
TO PRESERVE MARINE LIFE AND ALL
THE BENEFITS IT PROVIDES FOR
PEOPLE.
SIMILAR ANALYSES HAVE BEEN DONE
FOR THE LAND.
ALSO SHOWING 30% AS A MINIMUM.
ARMED WITH THIS RESEARCH WE
HAVE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
PARTNERED WITH THIS CAMPAIGN
FURNITURE, AND MEANING AT LEAST
30% OF THE PLANET, LAND AND
SEA, PROTECTED BY 2030.
WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENTS OF
COSTA RICA, FRANCE, AND THE
UNITED KINGDOM, WE BUILT A HIGH
AMBITION COALITION FOR NATURE
AND PEOPLE WHICH NOW HAS 66
COUNTRIES IN IT AND GROWING.
ALL SUPPORTING 30 BY 30 BY THE
MAIN TALLY FOR THE GLOBAL DEAL
OF NATURE.
30% OF OUR PLANET BY 2030.
ONLY THAT AMOUNT OF WILD NATURE
TOGETHER WITH A MASSIVE
REDUCTION IN CARBON ISSUES WILL
GET US BACK ON TRACK.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE
OCEAN IS A VITAL PART OF OUR
LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM ON THE
PLANET.
IT PRODUCES AT LEAST 50% OF THE
OXYGEN WE BREATHE, SO MORE THAN
ONE IN EVERY TWO BREATHS.
IT ALSO REGULATES TEMPERATURE
FOR THE PLANET SO WITHOUT THE
OCEAN THE POLLS WOULD BE UNDER
THE COLD AND THE EQUATOR WOULD
BE UNDER THE HOT AND IT WOULD
BE A LOT HARDER TO LIVE.
WE THINK ABOUT SAVING THE
OCEAN, FROM PLASTIC OR FROM OIL
AND OIL SPILLS OR FROM
OVERFISHING, BUT, REALLY, WE
SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW
THE OCEAN IS SAVING US.
AND WHAT IS IT SAVING US FROM?
IT IS SAVING US FROM THE
CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE ARE
CREATING, ESSENTIALLY FORM
OURSELVES.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CLIMATE
ACTION AND CLIMATE STUDIES
USING CLIMATE PLANS, WE OFTEN
OVERLOOK THE OCEAN AND LEAVE IT
OUT BECAUSE SOMEHOW WE THINK
THAT SAVING THE OCEAN IS
SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE TO DO,
NOT A PART OF THE CLIMATE
STRATEGY.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS TO CHANGE.
BECAUSE THE OCEAN IS A CORE
PART OF OUR CLIMATE SYSTEM.
AND IT HAS TO BE A CORE PART OF
OUR CLIMATE SOLUTION.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS A
HEALTH CRISIS.
IT IS WATER, AIR, FOOD,
SHELTER, SECURITY, ALL THE
BASICS ON WHICH HUMAN LIGHT
EXISTS.
BURNING FOSSIL FUELS FOR
ELECTRICITY, HEAT, OR TRANSPORT
IS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE ENEMY CONTRIBUTOR TOOK
POLLUTION.
GLOBALLY, AIR POLLUTION CAUSES
7 MILLION PREMATURE DEATHS EACH
YEAR.
THAT IS 30 MILLION DEATHS EVERY
MINUTE.
WAY MORE THAN THE DEATH TOLL OF
COVID BY THE END OF SUMMER OF
AND, THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED
ARE MORE SEVERELY IMPACTED.
TIME HAS COME THAT WE MEASURE
THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR
CIVILIZATION THROUGH THE METRIC
OF HEALTH.
RATHER THAN THE METRIC OF
WEALTH.
BUT HERE ALSO, LIES ONE OF OUR
BIGGEST ROADBLOCKS.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE
HEALTHY PEOPLE ON A SICK PLANET.
IF I STOP BREATHING FOR TWO
MINUTES, I WOULD DIE.
IT IS THE SIMPLEST THING THAT
ALL OF US DO, UNCONSCIOUSLY.
ABOUT 20,000 TIMES A DAY.
SO NORMAL, THAT WE FORGET THAT
BREATHING IS THE ESSENCE OF
LIFE.
MY DAUGHTER, ROBERTA, STOPPED
BREATHING FREQUENTLY, AND WAS
RESUSCITATED NUMEROUS TIMES BY
ME, AT HOME, AND IN HOSPITAL BY
HER DOCTORS.
UNTIL SUDDENLY, ON THE 15th OF
FEBRUARY, THREE WEEKS AFTER HER
NINTH BIRTHDAY, SHE TOOK HER
FINAL BREATH.
A SECOND INQUEST INTO HER DEATH
JUST IN DECEMBER, 2020, THEY
CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE
EXCESSIVE ILLEGAL LEVELS OF AIR
POLLUTION NOT ONLY IN
EXACERBATING ASTHMA, BUT ALSO
THE HIGHEST LEVEL ON THE NIGHT
THAT SHE DIED.
AS A RESULT OF THIS, ELLA IS
THE FIRST PERSON IN THE WORLD
TO HAVE AIR POLLUTION LISTED AS
A CAUSE OF DEATH ON HER DEATH
CERTIFICATE.
HER STORY IS UNIQUE, I ADMIT.
BUT HER EXPERIENCE IS SHOCKINGLY
ORDINARY. IN TOO MANY COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD, I POLLUTION
EXCEEDS WHAT THE WHO TELLS US IS
ACCEPTABLE TO BREATHE.
FOSSIL FUELS, EVERYONE, ARE
KILLING US.
ALMOST ONE IN FIVE PREMATURE
DEATHS ARE LINKED TO AIR
POLLUTION.
FROM COMBUSTION ENGINES TO WOOD-
BURNING, AMMONIA, COOKING
STOVES, AND OTHER FOSSIL FUELS.
THAT IS 8.7 MILLION PEOPLE A
YEAR DYING FROM HEART ATTACKS,
CANCER, STROKES, DEMENTIA,
SUICIDE, DEPRESSION, STILLBIRTHS
AND MISCARRIAGES.
AND THAT IS JUST THE START.
CHILDREN ARE THE WORST AFFECTED.
DUE TO THEIR LUNGS IS STILL
DEVELOPING, AIR POLLUTION STARTS
DEVELOPMENT OF LUNGS AND
BRAINS.
SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THEY ARE
FINDING UNBORN BABIES ARE
DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE BLACK
CARBON PRODUCED BY MOTOR
TRAFFIC AND FUEL BURNING.
LIKE ELLA, 92% OF CHILDREN
AROUND THE WORLD ARE BREATHING
UNSAFE AIR.
THE REAL TRAGEDY OF THIS IS WE
KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THIS PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS, WE NEED TO SHIFT
FROM TOXIC FOSSIL FUELS TO CLEAN
ELECTRIFY AND PUBLIC AND ACTIVE
TRANSPORT.
THE SECOND INQUEST INTO ELLA’S
DEATH MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR
THAT ELLA WOULD STILL BE HERE,
ALIVE TODAY, IF AIR POLLUTION
AROUND OUR HOME HAD BEEN WITHIN
THE WHO ACCEPTABLE LIMITS.
EVOLUTION IS AN INVISIBLE,
GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
POLLUTED WATERS, CLIMATE
CHANGE, THIS HAS BEEN THE
ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF THE
TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN CHINA OVER
THE PAST 40 YEARS.
AT THE SAME TIME, HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE PUT
THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY, AS
AN ENVIRONMENTALIST IN CHINA, I
WITNESSED THIS ALL FIRST-HAND.
THE CHALLENGE WE ARE FACING IS
CAN WE CLEAN UP AS FAST AND AS
WILD AS A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT
DEGRADING OUR AIR, WATER, AND
CLIMATE.
ASSESSING THE CLIMATE IS NEEDED
FASTER.
I BELIEVE THERE IS A CHANCE FOR
US TO SUCCEED.
AS I KNOW IT TOO, THAT I HAVE
SEEN WORK TO HELP REDUCE THE
ENORMOUS ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTION.
IT IS A POWER OF TRANSPARENCY.
POLLUTION INFORMATION MADE
PUBLIC USING MOBILE INTERNET
AND OTHER IT TECHNOLOGIES.
MANY POWERS, MILLIONS OF
CITIZENS, TO SPEED CHANGE BY
HOLDING CORPORATIONS AND
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE.
MY TEAM AND I HAVE LAUNCHED A
BLUE MAP 40 CARBON, DATABASE
MEANS TO BRING CHINA’S LONG-
TERM NATIONAL COMMITMENT DOWN
TO WHERE THE 10 BILLION TONS OF
CARBON ARE ACTUALLY EMITTED.
THIS IS HOW A ZERO CARBON MAP
LOOKS LIKE, EACH PROVINCE AND
CITY IS COLOR-CODED.
BASED ON ITS LEVEL OF
ADMISSION.
AND IT IS NOT JUST CARBON, TODAY
WE FURTHER EXPAND THE BLUE MAP
TO COVER PLASTICS AND EVEN
BIODIVERSITY, SO AS TO EMPOWER
MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN THIS
UNPRECEDENTED, GLOBAL RACE TO
ZERO.
THE PRICE FOR WINNING THIS
ONGOING RACE IS NOTHING LESS
THAN A BETTER WORLD, FOR THIS
GENERATION, AND FOR THE
GENERATIONS TO COME.
FOR MANKIND AND FOR ALL THE
PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT CALLED
THIS PLANET THEIR HOME.
THANK YOU TO MICHAELA JAC,
AND THOSE TED KOPPEL SPEAKERS
ARE SHOWING AS WE HAVE TO
PROTECT NATURE, AND PROTECT
OURSELVES.
NOW HERE IS ANOTHER POWERFUL
CHAMPION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT,
AND THE UN GOODWILL AMBASSADOR,
SINCE 2005, HE HAD HIS BAND
HAVE ELIMINATED OVER 120
MILLION POUNDS OF CO2 RED AND
HALF 1 MILLION SINGLE-USE
PLASTIC BOTTLES FROM THEIR
SHOWS.
HERE WITH THE PERFORMANCE,
RECORDED ESPECIALLY FOR
COUNSEL, IS DAVE MATTHEWS.
HELLO, I AM DAVE MATTHEWS
AND I WAS INVITED TO PLAY A
SONG.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, I WAS
ALSO INVITED TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, ALTHOUGH
I AM CONFIDENT THAT THOSE WHO
ARE QUALIFIED HAVE ALREADY SAID
ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.
BUT IT DOES SEEM TO BE BY FAR
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING
HUMANITY, FACING THE WORLD.
AND, WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ABOUT
IT, IT SHOULD BE EVERYTHING.
WE THINK ABOUT.
THEN I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE
FACT THAT IF EVERYTHING IS AND
EVERY BIRD AND EVERY FLOWER AND
EVERY TREE AND EVERY HUMAN AND
EVERY LITTLE CRITTER, IF ALL OF
IT VANISHED AND LEFT A DEAD
PLANET, THAT WAS ONCE BEAUTIFUL
AND BLUE, NOT EVEN THE MOON
WOULD NOTICE.
THE STARS CERTAINLY WOULDN’T
MISS US.
JUST BE A SPECK OF DUST THAT
NEVER WAS.
AND MAYBE THAT IS A COMFORT.
THE SONG IS CALLED DIVE IN AND
I HOPE IT IS APPROPRIATE.
♪
I SAW A MAN ON THE SIDE OF THE
ROAD.
WORTH A SIGN THAT READ I WILL
WORK FOR FOOD.
SO I TRIED TO LOOK BUSY UNTIL
THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN.
AND I SAW A BEAR ON TV BECAUSE
HIS FRIENDS WERE ALL DROWNING.
THEIR HOMES WERE TURNING TO
WATER.
A STRANGE KIND OF SAD BIG OLD
BEAR.
I’M SURE IT WOULD HAPPILY RETURN
IF HE COULD.
WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD I THINK THE
SUN IS BRIGHTER TODAY, SMILE
ACROSS THE ICICLES, AS THEY
MELT AWAY.
SEE THE WATER RISE AND SUMMERS
SUSTAINED AND THAT SWEET SUMMER
BREEZE WILL FLOAT OR GO DOWN TO
THE SHORE TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES,
DIVE IN THE EMPTY OCEAN.
WILL YOU TELL ME EVERYTHING
WILL BE OKAY.
IF I JUST STAY ON MY KNEES AND
KEEP PRAYING?
BELIEVING IN SOMETHING, TELL ME
EVERYTHING IS ALL TAKEN CARE OF,
BY THOSE QUALIFIED TO TAKE CARE
OF IT ALL.
TAKE CARE OF IT.
WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD.
I THINK THE SONS A LITTLE
BRIGHTER TODAY, SMILE ACROSS
THE ICICLES AS THEY MELT AWAY,
SEE THE WATER RISING.
SUMMER IS HERE TO STAY AND ALL
THOSE SUMMER GAMES WILL LAST
FOREVER, GO DOWN TO THE SHORE,
TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, DIVE IN
THE EMPTY OCEAN.
SOMEDAY I THINK WE WILL WAKE
UP.
AND THE WORLD IS ON ITS WAY TO
GET A BETTER, AND, SO, CAN YOU
TELL ME?
HOW WE’VE BEEN THINKING?
BUT LATELY, BLOOD IS INCREASING,
TORMENT IS NOT KEEPING HOME,
AND SPITE OF OUR TWISTING.
SO WE WOULD LOVE TO BELIEVE
THAT WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL,
THOUGH WE WOULD LOVE TO BELIEVE
WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD.
I THINK THE SONS A LITTLE
BRIGHTER TODAY.
SMILE AND WATCH THE ICICLES
MELT AWAY.
SEE THE WATERS RISE AND SUMMER
IS HERE TO STAY, ALL THOSE
SUMMER GIRLS WILL DANCE
FOREVER, GO DOWN TO THE SHORE,
TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES DIVE IN THE
EMPTY OCEAN.
♪
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
WOW, THAT GUY IS PRETTY GOOD.
A NEW UP AND COMER.
EARLIER RAINN WILSON ASKED
HIS FRIENDS IF THERE WAS
ANYTHING FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE, LET’S CHECK BACK IN
WITH THEM.
KNOCK KNOCK, KNOCK KNOCK.
WHO’S THERE?
NOBODY, YOU ARE ALL DEAD.
BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING.
WHO’S THERE?
DINOSAURS.
DINOSAURS WHO?
EXACTLY.
THEY GONE.
WE CAN BE GONE LIKE DINOSAURS,
GONE LIKE THAT, RIGHT?
COME ON, THAT’S FUNNY.
KNOCK KNOCK?
WHO’S THERE?
CLIMATE CHANGE.
CLIMATE CHANGE WHO?
CLIMATE CHANGE IS LARGELY A
MAN-MADE PHENOMENON WHICH THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AT LARGE
AGREES WILL RACK IN
CONSIDERABLE DEATH AND
DISRUPTION ON OUR PLANET UNLESS
THERE IS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE.?
A POLAR BEAR GHOST WALKS
INTO A BAR AND THE BARTENDER
SAYS HEY, GET OUT OF HERE WE
DON’T SERVE POLAR BEARS IN
HERE.
AND THE POLAR BEAR GHOST SAYS
DON’T WORRY, I’M NOT REAL.
BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING WE
ARE ALL EXTINCT.
AND THE BARTENDER IS LIKE, I
APOLOGIZE FOR THE INITIAL
HOSTILITY, BUT YOU GOT TO ADMIT
IT IS KIND OF HARD TO TELL THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POLAR BEAR
AND A POLAR BEAR GHOST.
DO YOU GET IT?
BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH WHITE
AND, NEVERMIND.
PENGUINS?
A FLIGHTLESS BIRD, HOW ARE THEY
NOT ALL DEAD, ANYWAY?
JUST A SECOND.
SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE?
RAINN WILL KEEP ON WORKING
ON THAT, WE WILL CHECK BACK IN
WITH HIM LATER.
ONE OF THE MOST HEARTENING
THINGS ABOUT THE LAST FEW YEARS
HAS BEEN THE WAY THAT MILLIONS
OF YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BASICALLY
MUSCLED THE CLIMATE CRISIS TO
THE TOP OF THE GLOBAL AGENDA.
HERE WITH CLARITY, PERSISTENCE,
THEIR MORAL AUTHORITY IS
UNIGNORABLE.
TWO OF THEM TOOK THE COUNTDOWN
STAGE IN SCOTLAND A FEW WEEKS
AGO, HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID.
HELLO EVERYONE, WE ARE YOUTH
CLIMATE ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE BEEN
ACTIVE THROUGHOUT COUNTDOWN.
YESTERDAY WE CAME TOGETHER TO
PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF DEMANDS
THAT WE HAVE FOR THE LEADERS OF
THE WORLD.
WE ARE ASKING LEADERS AROUND
THE WORLD TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING
ACTION.
ONE, THAT THEY STOP ALL FOSSIL
FUEL INVEST AND REINVEST IN
GREEN ENERGY AND ENSURE A JUST
TRANSMISSION LED BY WORKERS AND
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
TWO, CLIMATE JUSTICE IN ALL
KEY POLICY DECISION, INCLUDING
PROTECTION FOR FRONTLINE
COMMUNITIES FOR POLLUTION AS
WELL AS CLIMATE ADJUSTERS.
THREE, STOP ALL OPEN
PIPELINES AND OIL AND FOSSIL
FUEL EXTRACTION, FROM LINE
THROUGH THE UNITED STATES, TO
WRITE HERE IN SCOTLAND, TO
UGANDA, AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.
FOUR, HOLD CORPORATIONS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACTIONS
THAT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE
CLIMATE CRISIS.
INCLUDING PAYING TAXES, HAVING
YOUTH AT DECISION-MAKING TABLES
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ENSURING A JUST TRANSITION TO
RENEWABLE ENERGY.
FIVE, CREATE POLICIES TO
TREAT ACTIVIST RIGHTS, TWO
PEOPLE PROTEST AND SAFEGUARD
DEMOCRACY ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
SNCC SIX, WE REMOVE THE
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
INFLUENCE OF FOSSIL FUEL
COMPANIES FROM KEY
INTERNATIONAL DECISION-MAKING
SPACES.
TO BE CLEAR, THESE LIST OF
DEMANDS ARE NOT ALL WE NEED TO
SOLVE THE CLIMATE CRISIS THIS
IS THE BARE MINIMUM.
WE FIND OURSELVES IN A
CRITICAL MOMENT WHERE WE DON’T
HAVE THE TIME TO LOSE ON JUST
TALKING AND HAVE CONFERENCES,
WE NEED ACTION.
NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE HAD A
MOMENT THAT IS ROOTED IN
SCIENCE AND EXPERIENCE, FELT SO
DEEPLY AMONG ALL OF US.
JOINED THE YOUTH IN LEADING.
JOINT IS TODAY, THANK YOU.
SHIV SOIN AND XIYE BASTIDA
ARE HERE WITH ME TODAY, YOU
MADE THIS POINT ABOUT HOW THIS
IS A COMBO OF SCIENCE AND
EXPERIENCE, WHAT DID YOU MEAN
BY THAT?
WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE HAVE
KNOWN ABOUT THE CLIMATE CRISIS
IN SCIENTIFIC TERMS FOR THE
PAST 30 YEARS.
BUT, UNTIL NOW WE HAVEN’T
EXPERIENCED THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
NOW WE HAVE THAT IN OUR MEMORY,
AND MY HOMETOWN IS FLOODING IN
MEXICO, AND MY ROOMMATE IN
COLLEGE TOLD ME SHE HAD TO BE
ON THE PHONE WITH HER PARENTS
TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOW TO
GET OUT OF NEW ORLEANS.
BECAUSE OF ITEM.
NOW, WE AS A NEW GENERATION ARE
FEELING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE AND ESPECIALLY IN
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SO
NOW THAT IS LIKE IMPORTANT FOR
THE DECISION-MAKING PLACES
BECAUSE WE BRING THOSE STORIES
AND THAT NARRATIVE IS WHAT IS
FROM PEOPLE’S PERSPECTIVE.
STORIES TIED TO THE DATA.
AND, SHIV, CAN YOU LAY OUT
FOR ME WHAT VISION DO YOU HAVE
OF THE FUTURE, WHAT DO YOU
THINK IS POSSIBLE?
YEAH, THAT IS WHAT WE WERE
DOING AT COUNTDOWN.
WE MET WITH A LOT OF THE
ACTIVISTS AROUND THE WORLD AND
WE CAME IN WITH A LIST OF
DEMANDS BECAUSE I SHOW PEOPLE
WE’VE BEEN SEEING EXACTLY WHAT
WE NEED TO DO.
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS WORLD
LEADERS NEED TO LISTEN, WE NEED
LEADERS OF COMPANIES TO
ACTUALLY TAKE THE ACTION OF
DIVESTMENT, REINVESTMENT.
AND MOVE OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY TO
ZERO FOSSIL FUELS, TO RENEWABLE
ENERGY.
BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE ARE
GOING RIGHT NOW IS NOT
SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR GENERATION,
FOR THE GENERATION RIGHT HERE
RIGHT NOW, AND FOR GENERATIONS
TO COME.
WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO, AND
WE NEED TO GET MOVING, RIGHT
NOW.
THERE IS A BIG AUDIENCE OUT
THERE, WHO I THINK A LOT OF
THEM, ARE PROBABLY WONDERING
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED IN THE
MOVEMENT?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO
THEM?
YES, JUST TO START OFF, XIYE
AND I STARTED WORKING A FEW
YEARS AGO IN OUR CITY, AND THE
WAY TO GET INVOLVED IS JUST BY
STARTING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
AND SEE WHAT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO
BE DONE.
WHETHER THAT IS STARTING
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FAMILY,
DOING SOMETHING IN YOUR SCHOOL,
YOUR LOCAL CITY COUNCIL, YOUR
LOCAL STATE GOVERNMENT,
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND A SMALL ACTION WHERE YOU
ARE ACTUALLY MAKING YOUR VOICE
HEARD AND REALLY HOLDING THOSE
WHO HAVE POWER TO . THAT IS
WHAT WILL MAKE THE CHANGE.
YEAH, AND FOR GLASCOW, THE
CONFERENCE I’M HEADED TO BED
AFTER THIS, MY BAGS ARE PACKED
RIGHT OVER THERE, WE ARE
ACTUALLY ORGANIZING GLOBAL
CLEMENT STRIKE ON NOVEMBER
FIFTH, SO WHEREVER YOU ARE IN
THE RUG YOU CAN JOIN THIS
GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE ON
FRIDAY.
AND THEN, ON NOVEMBER SIX, THE
COALITION IS ORGANIZING
IMMOBILIZATION FOR PEOPLE WHO
CAN’T MAKE IT ON THE FIFTH AND
THEY CAN MAKE IT ON THE SIXTH.
THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING OUT INTO
THE STREET, TO SHOW GOVERNMENTS
AND COMPANIES THAT WE ARE
SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGE BUT ALSO
THAT PEOPLE TOGETHER CANNOT BE
DEFEATED.
AND IT EMPOWERS US TO BE PART
OF THIS MOVIE.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOW, TO GUIDE US THROUGH
ANOTHER OF TED COUNTDOWN TALKS
ARE TWO ACTORS WHO DESERVE AS
MANY ACCOLADES TO THEIR
ACTIVISM AS THEY DID FOR THEIR
WORK ON SCREEN, JOAQUIN PHOENIX
AND ROONEY MARA.
THIS IS WHAT A TRUE PUNDIT
PERSON WAS CITY, ONE OF THE
FACTOR IS THE WAY THAT WE FUEL
OUR PHONES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND
OUR MODES OF TRANSPORTATION,
AND OUR BODIES.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
TRANSFORM ALL OF THE SYSTEMS IN
A MASSIVE WAY, AND SOON.
ALL OF THAT CAN FUEL VERY
OVERWHELMING, BUT FOR US IT IS
A PRIVILEGE FOR US THAT WE GET
TO MAKE EVERY DAY, MULTIPLE
TIMES A DAY, THAT WE KNOW WE
WILL MAKE A HUGE IMPACT.
THERE ARE SO MANY DECISIONS
THAT ARE MADE THAT ARE OUTSIDE
OF OUR CONTROL THAT AFFECT OUR
LIVES AND THE PLANET, BUT THIS
IS ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE
CONTROL OVER.
THAT WE KNOW WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
IF ANY OF US ARE GOING TO
CLAIM TO TRULY CARE ABOUT THE
PLANET, THAT WE CAN NO LONGER
IGNORE THE WHOLE AGRICULTURAL
THING DESTROYING IT.
THIS CHALLENGE ACTUALLY
PRESENTS AN IMMENSE OPPORTUNITY
FOR INNOVATION, AND WE ARE
WITNESSING TRULY INCREDIBLE
LEADERSHIP AND RESPECT FOR OUR
PLANET.
LET’S HEAR FROM THE TED
COUNTDOWN SPEAKERS ABOUT BOTH
THE GIANT SCALE OF CHANGE FOR
THIS AND SOME OF THE WAYS IN
WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE
TRANSFORMING TO MEET OUR PLANET
GOALS.
THANK YOU.
TODAY THE WORLD GENERATES
ABOUT 25 TRILLION KILOWATTS OF
ELECTRICITY EACH YEAR.
MOST OF THAT IS FROM FOSSIL
FUEL POWERED PLANT.
THE DOMINANT MINDSET IS THAT WE
HAVE TO CHANGE THE CURRENT
ELECTRICITY SYSTEM BY REPLACING
THOSE FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS WITH
CLEAN GENERATION.
SO THIS IS GREAT, WE CAN
REPLACE OUR FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS,
HAVE A CLEAN VERSION OF TODAY’S
WORLD, WALK AWAY WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BUT, I DID FORGET ONE TINY
LITTLE DETAIL.
WE ACTUALLY NEED FIVE TIMES
THAT MUCH.
TO BE CLEAR, WE NEED AND ARE ON
TRACK TO HAVE 2 1/2 TIMES
TODAY’S AMOUNT OF CLEAN
GENERATION, TO SWITCH TO A
CLEAN VERSION OF OUR CURRENT
ELECTRICITY SYSTEM.
BY CHANGING THE CURRENT SYSTEM
IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE NEED FIVE TIMES THAT, ALL OF
IT CLEAN, OR 12 TIMES TODAY’S
CLEAN ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION TO
ACTUALLY AVOID THE WORST IMPACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE PROJECT IS NOT CHANGING THE
CURRENT GLOBAL ELECTRICITY
SYSTEM, OUR PROJECT IS BUILDING
A NEW GLOBAL ELECTRICITY SYSTEM.
POLITICAL ACTION THAT TINKERS
AROUND WITHIN THE CURRENT
SYSTEM WILL NEVER GET US WHERE
WE NEED TO BE BY 2050.
ARGUMENTS OVER WHICH SOURCES OF
CLEAN ELECTRICITY WE SHOULD USE
ARE UNHELPFUL.
WE NEED ALL OF THEM.
HYDRO, SOLAR, WIND, NUCLEAR,
ADVANCED NUCLEAR, ADVANCED
GEOTHERMAL, MANDATES FOR CARBON
CAPTURE ARE REMAINING FOR
FOSSIL PLANTS, IF YOU LOOK AT
THE RATE OF POTENTIAL FOR EACH
OF THE GC WE NEED EVERYTHING AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND WE MAY
STILL FALL SHORT.
IT IS NOT CHANGING THE
ELECTRICITY SYSTEM IT IS
BUILDING A NEW ELECTRICITY
SYSTEM.
15 TIMES BIGGER THAN TODAY’S
TOTAL SYSTEM, AND 100% CLEAN.
THIS MINDSET GOES BEYOND
ELECTRICITY GENERATION ITSELF.
MANY PEOPLE ARE WARY OF
AMBITIOUS CLIMATE ACTION,
BECAUSE THEY SEE THE PROJECT AS
CHANGING THE FAMILIAR, CURRENT
WORLD.
THAT IS NOT IT.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS
BUILDING A NEW WORLD.
A WORLD IN WHICH ENERGY IS
HEALTHIER, IT DOESN’T POLLUTE
THE AIR WE BREATHE, AND WHERE
IT IS CHEAPER AND EVERYONE
GLOBALLY HAS ACCESS TO IT.
A WORLD WITH HIGHER INCOMES,
LONGER AND BETTER LIVES,
GREATER EQUALITY.
A BETTER WORLD.
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE
INDUSTRIES MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR
CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU PROBABLY
SUMMON UP AN IMAGE OF A OIL
RIG, RIGHT?
MAYBE EVEN AN COAL MINE OR A
MEGA FARM.
BUT THERE IS ONE INDUSTRY THAT
HAS NEVER BEEN MENTIONED IN
THAT LIST.
EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY DEPENDS
UPON IT, THOUGH.
I AM TALKING ABOUT A SECTOR
THAT MAKES METHANE.
LIVESTOCK.
NO FACTORIES, NO HOUSES, IT IS
ENTIRELY POWERED BY BRAINS,
SPREADSHEETS AND POWER POINTS.
WHO IS THIS MR. INDUSTRY?
THE PROFESSIONAL SURFACE OF
ADVERTISING NPR FIRMS, THE BIG
MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THE
CORPORATE LAWYERS AND
LOBBYISTS.
TOGETHER, THIS SECTOR IS WORTH
OVER $2 TRILLION A YEAR.
LET’S CALL IT THE X INDUSTRY.
WHILE X IS FOR INFLUENCE, THE
BRAIN PRINT OF THE X INDUSTRY
IS FELT EVERYWHERE.
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM POLICY
SOLVERS AND STORYTELLERS SEE IN
THE REAL AND OTHER BUSINESSES
ON EARTH.
AND OUTSIDE INFLUENCE ON
REACHING NET ZERO ALL THINGS
WILL BE ONE OF THE PRIME
ARCHITECTS OF CLIMATE
DESTRUCTION.
WHERE THE 9% OF CO2
EMISSIONS GLOBALLY COME FROM
TRANSPORTING GOODS AROUND THE
WORLD.
SO, WHAT IS THE DREAM?
IN 2018 THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF
AP WILL MASK THE GLOBAL
SHIPPING COMPANY I READ AS A
CHAIRMAN, MADE A COMMITMENT TO
MAKE THE COMPANY CARBON NEUTRAL
BY 2015.
FOR SOME PEOPLE 20/50 SOUNDED
LIKE A LONG TIME INTO THE
FUTURE, BUT, IN FACT, THIS WAS
A VERY AMBITIOUS DREAM FOR A
SHIPPING COMPANY.
TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050 WE
NEEDED TO INVENT A ZERO CARBON
CONTAINER VESSEL BY 2030.
BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD TAKE
ROUGHLY 20 YEARS TO REPLACE ALL
OF THE 750 VESSELS THAT WE
OPERATE.
SO, THE DREAM WAS TRULY BIG,
AND REALLY INSPIRING.
BUT TO BE HONEST, IN 2018 WE
DID NOT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
WE HAD TO WORK HALF ON THE
DETAILS, AND LESS THAN THREE
YEARS AFTER OUR BIG DREAM WE
HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION.
IT IS CALLED POWER TO X THIS IS
NOT A NEW TECHNOLOGY, NOR DID
WE INVENT IT.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF KNOWN
CHEMICAL PROCESSES THAT CONVERT
GREEN ELECTRICITY TO A GREEN
FUEL.
FIRST, TO COMFORT THE GREEN
ELECTRICITY FROM SOLAR OR WIND
TO GREEN HYDROGEN, THAT IS DONE
THROUGH ELECTROLYZER’S AND THEN
THE GREEN HYDROGEN CAN BE
CONVERTED TO VARIOUS TYPES OF
GREEN FUELS THROUGH CHEMICAL
PROCESSES.
THE BENEFIT OF POWER TO X IS
THAT IT PRODUCES A GREEN FUEL
THAT IS LIQUID AT NORMAL
TEMPERATURE, AND CAN BE USED IN
A COMBUSTION ENGINE.
SO, INSTEAD OF SPENDING 20
YEARS TO REPLACE ALL OF OUR 750
VESSELS, AND CREATE A BIG PILE
OF WASTE, WE BELIEVE WE CAN
RETROFIT EXISTING VESSELS BY
ADDING A COMBUSTION ENGINE
DESIGNED FOR GREEN FUEL.
AND WITH THAT, ACHIEVE ZERO
CARBON SHIPPING MUCH, MUCH,
EARLIER.
TODAY AMONG INVESTORS THERE
ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
DECOLONIZING PORTFOLIOS, AND
HOW TO ACHIEVE ZERO, BUT WHEN I
THINK ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF
CLIMATE AND CAPITAL, I AM
ALWAYS ASKING MYSELF WHAT EFFECT
DOES IS REALLY HAVE ON THE
GROUND?
BECAUSE THERE COULD BE A
PROFOUND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
INVESTING JUST TO PRESET YOUR
ASSETS FROM THE EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ACTUALLY
INVESTED TO PREVENT THOSE
EFFECTS FROM COMING ABOUT.
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS IS ROAD
DECARBONIZATION, WE NEED TO
DECARBONIZE THE OLD ECONOMY
THAT WE HAVE, AND INVEST TO
CREATE THE NEW ECONOMY THAT WE
NEED.
IT IS TO BE AN ECONOMY THAT HAS
NO MORE THAN IT CAN REMOVE, AND
THAT DOES IN A WAY THAT IS NET
POSITIVE FOR THE PLANET AND THE
PEOPLE.
ESTIMATES SUGGEST THAT IT WILL
COST 3-$5 TRILLION A YEAR
BETWEEN NOW AND 2050, TO
ACHIEVE ZERO.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW
MUCH THAT IS IT WOULD BE LIKE
INVESTING THE ENTIRE DDP OF
GERMANY OR JAPAN EVERY YEAR,
ANNUALLY, FOR 30 YEARS.
SO, FINANCIAL CAPITAL HAS A
HUGE ROLE TO PLAY IN OUR SHARED
SUCCESS.
OR OUR SHARED FAILURE.
BY 2100, THE WORLD WILL HAVE
A POPULATION OF ALMOST 11
MILLION PEOPLE.
THAT IS 3 BILLION MORE PEOPLE
THAN THE PLANET HOUSES TODAY.
TO HOUSE ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE,
WE NEED TO BUILD ABOUT 2.4
TRILLION SQUARE FEET OF NEW
BUILT SPACE.
WE ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING
SEVERE IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE
CHANGE.
HOW CAN THE WORLD HOUSE ANOTHER
3 BILLION PEOPLE?
AND HOW CAN THEIR HOUSING NEEDS
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, RATHER
THAN PART OF THE PROBLEM?
I BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWER IS
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.
THAT THERE IS WHAT I CALL A
OLDIE LOCKS SCALE.
THAT FITS BETWEEN SCALE OF
HOUSING AND TOWERS, 2-THREE-
STORY HOUSING THAT ACTUALLY
LOOKS VERY FAMILIAR TO MOST OF
YOU BECAUSE WE BUILT THE MOST
BELOVED PARTS OF OUR CITIES
WITH IT.
THE ROWHOUSES OF BOSTON, THE
DISTRICTS OF AGING, MOST OF THE
FABRIC OF EDINBURGH.
THIS GOLDILOCKS FRAMEWORK HITS
THE SWEET SPOT BETWEEN THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IT CAN HOUSE
AND THE AMOUNT OF ROOF AREA WE
NEED TO PROVIDE THEM AND THEIR
COMMUNITIES POWER.
IT CAN BE BUILT OUT OF SIMPLE,
LOCAL, MATERIALS LIKE WOOD.
OR BRICK.
BOTH OF WHICH HAVE RELATIVELY
LOW SOMETHING AND HAVE BATTERY
SYSTEM THAT LEVEL OUT SOLAR
SUPPLY AND USER DEMAND, WE CAN
HAVE ELECTRIC STATE OF THE ART
AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING
SYSTEM, THESE EXIST TODAY.
THIS HOUSING COULD COMPOST FOOD
SCRAPS AND SOLID WASTE AND TURN
IT INTO USABLE SOILS OR PROTEIN
FOR ANIMAL FEED.
AND, I THINK, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
THIS KIND OF HOUSING IS
AFFORDABLE, COMMUNAL, EQUITABLE
HOUSING FOR COMMUNITIES IN DIRE
NEED OF IT.
AND I WORK WITH A LOT OF THESE
COMMUNITIES, I KNOW HOW MUCH
DEMAND THERE IS FOR THIS OUT
THERE.
WANT TO KNOW AND IMAGINE WITH
ME THAT WE DEPLOYED THIS
GOLDILOCKS FRAMEWORK IN TWO
PLACES THAT I LOVE DEARLY, NEW
YORK AND CALCUTTA.
VERY DIFFERENT PLACES BUT THEY
HAVE THE BIG BOOMING DOWNTOWN
BUT ALSO THESE GROWING OUTSKIRTS
THAT EXPERIENCE A LOT OF
SPRAWL.
THEY HAVE FIGHTS LIKE THIS THAT
ARE NEAR MASS TRANSIT BUT
IMAGINE IF ON THESE SITES WE
INSTEAD OF BRILLIANT SPRAWL
BUILT THIS GOLDILOCKS
FRAMEWORK.
THAT WOULD MANIFEST IN TWO VERY
DIFFERENT WAYS.
DIFFERENT MATERIALS, DIFFERENT
CULTURAL EXPRESSION, BUT IT
WOULD GIVE US CARBON NEGATIVE,
TRANSIT RICH, JOYOUS PLACES FOR
PEOPLE TO LIVE AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
SO YES, WE CAN GO TO 11 MILLION
PEOPLE, WE DON’T NEED TO FEAR
OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE DON’T HAVE A LACK OF LAND OR
TECHNOLOGY, WE JUST HAVE A LACK
OF VISION BECAUSE THE ANSWERS
ARE HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
EATING IS LINKED TO CLIMATE
CHANGE, EATING ANIMALS IS THE
LEADING CAUSE OF RAIN FOREST
DEFORESTATION.
MEAT PRODUCTION IS A
SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO
EAT PLANT-BASED AND ANY REASON
THAT RESONATES WITH YOU, IS THE
BEST REASON.
I UNDERSTAND IT IS NOT ALWAYS
EASY, BUT EATING EVEN ONE PLANT-
BASED MEAL A DAY MAKES A HUGE
DIFFERENCE.
I USED TO BE A LONG TIME MEAT
EATER, AS A REGULAR STAFF I USED
TO COOK LOTS OF MEAT AND NEVER
MADE THAT CONNECTION.
THAT THEY ARE LIVING BEINGS
JUST LIKE US WITH FEELINGS,
EMOTIONS, AND FAMILIES.
I AM NOW ON A MISSION TO
UNLEASH THE MIGHTY POWER OF
PLANTS TO CREATE FOOD THAT WE
CRAVE.
FULL OF FLAVORS AND TEXTURES
THAT ARE MORE NUTRITIOUS AND
BETTER FOR US AND THE PLANET.
I BELIEVE IN COMPASSION AND
ACTION.
AND THE WAY I EXPRESS THAT IS
THROUGH COOKING AND DEVELOPING
AMAZING RECIPES THAT INSPIRE
AND TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO MAKE
AND EAT DELICIOUS FOODS WITHOUT
ANIMALS.
VEGAN FOOD FOR ME IT IS, AND
VEGANS ALIKE, BECAUSE LIKE MOST
PEOPLE, I WANT TO SAVE THE
ANIMALS AND THE PLANET.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN IF I HAVE TO
COMPROMISE ON TASTE.
WE ARE LIVING IN A DECISIVE
DECADE.
ONE THAT YEARS FROM NOW YOUR
KIDS, THEIR KIDS, AND JUST
RANDOM KIDS DOWN THE STREET ARE
GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT.
WHAT DID YOU DO?
HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED IN ONE OF
THESE IF NOT THE BIGGEST STORY
ON THE PLANET?
DID IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
THE LIVE STREAM YOU WATCHED
HOSTED BY A CERTAIN LENGTHY
OVEREAGER PODCAST ARE, YOU’RE
GOING TO WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING
TO TELL THOSE PEOPLE.
GET INVOLVED, TAKE ACTION.
ONE WAY TO DO IT IS HEAD TO
COUNTDOWN.TED.COM AND STILL TO
COME, REGINA HALL PRESENTS MORE
INSPIRING COUNTDOWN TALK PLUS
CONAN O
MARGARET CHO, SHE IS FUNNY.
AND ANOTHER PERFORMANCE BY
CHARLIE PUTH.
UP NOW, ANOTHER COUNTDOWN
SPEAKER IS HERE TO TELL US
ABOUT AN PROJECT CALLED DRIVE
ELECTRIC.
IT HAS RAISED OVER HALF 1
BILLION, DOLLARS, FOR THIS
WORK.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT DRIVE
ELECTRIC.ORG ARE LISTENING TO
THIS ROOM MONICA.
HELLO MY NAME IS MONICA, I
AM A CAMPAIGNER AT DRIVE
ELECTRIC.
SO, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT RIGHT
NOW, AROUND THE PLANET THERE
ARE AROUND 1 BILLION CARS
CIRCULATING EVERYWHERE, AND
THAT IS NOT EVEN COUNTING
MOTORBIKES, BUSES, AND 1% OF
THAT STOCK IS ZERO MISSION.
ONLY 1% IS ELECTRIC.
OUR CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT WE ELECTRIFY
EVERYTHING WE CAN, TRUCKS,
BUSES, CARS, AND OF COURSE IN
ESSENCE, WE ARE TRYING TO GROW
MUCH FASTER IN THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS. IT IS CRITICAL.
OUR CAMPAIGN BASICALLY BRING
TOGETHER 17 GROUPS AROUND THE
PLANET AND THIS COALITION IS
GROWING.
THEIR FACTORIES WORTH $1
MILLION BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS
HAVE SPENDING, SOME WILL WORK
WITH THAT IS I WILL WORK WITH
POLITICIANS THAT WILL WORK WITH
COMPANIES, WE HAVE TO NORMALIZE
THE IDEA THAT AFTER A CERTAIN
DATE WE CANNOT SELL ANYMORE
PETROL IN THESE CARS.
WE HAVE TO SAY NO MORE SALES OF
THIS AFTER 20 3100% OF ZERO
EMISSIONS, CARS, BY 2035.
FOR PASSENGER CARS AND VANS.
AND THAT WHEN IT COMES TO
TRUCKS WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A
LITTLE MORE TIME BECAUSE IT IS
EXPENSIVE AND WE ARE SAYING
THERE ARE MISCONCEPTIONS AS OF
YOU THAT IS NORMAL.
ONE THAT COMES OFTEN IN THE
CONVERSATION, IS THAT IF YOU
SWITCH TO AN ELECTRIC CAR, THAT
IS GOING TO BE WORSE FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY.
AND, WE HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH
THAT SHOWS THAT IF YOU HAVE A
LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS OF THE
BATTERY, IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT
FOR SURE, EVERYTHING WE PRODUCE
AS AN IMPACT.
AND YET, THE IMPACT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT OVER FOSSIL FUEL
CARS IS WAY BIGGER.
I WAS SAY THAT THERE WILL BE A
SEEING THE MOST IS THE
PERCEPTION THAT ELECTRIC
MOBILITY IS A LATE AGENDA FOR
PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY AND
THAT IS PROBABLY HAPPENING
BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK TESLA, A
PREMIUM CAR.
AND TO SOME DEGREE IT IS
UNDERSTANDING, AND YET, I WOULD
REALLY LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT
THE DRIVERS.
THE DRIVERS OF A PUBLIC BUS,
THE DRIVER OF A TRUCK.
THE DRIVER OF A TAXI THAT HAS
TWO, EVERY DAY, GET ALL THAT
POLLUTION IN THEIR LUNGS, ALL
THAT NOISE IS ALWAYS THERE, AND
WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM THEY WILL
TELL YOU THEY WILL NEVER GO BACK
TO THE POLLUTING TECHNOLOGY.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT,
FOR EXAMPLE, DIESEL TRUCK
POLLUTION HURTS VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS THE MOST.
IT HURTS EVERYBODY, BUT IT
HURTS THE POOR
DISPROPORTIONATELY.
SO, WORKING ON ELECTRIFICATION
IS ALSO A MATTER OF JUSTICE AND
A MATTER OF INCREASING THEIR
QUALITY, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY
AND TO THE EXTENT WE MEET THOSE
TWO AGENDAS, CLIMATE AND
JUSTICE, WE WILL REALIZE THAT
ELECTRIFICATION IS ACTUALLY
VERY GOOD FOR PEOPLE.
HEY EVERYBODY I AM
COMMENTING ON CHANGING CLIMATE
CHANGE, BECAUSE I LOVE OUR
PLANET.
I THINK IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND I
THINK IT IS UNFORTUNATE I
HAVEN’T SEEN A LOT OF IT, JUST
A TINY, TINY BIT OF IT.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL
PLACE WE ARE ON BUT I LOVE OUR
PLANET AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING
THAT I CAN, EVERY DAY, TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE CHANGE THIS.
JOIN ME AND TAKE ACTION TODAY.
I AM MITCH AND I AM GREAT,
AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO
FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE
WE ARE LITERALLY EXPERIENCING IT
OURSELVES, WE ARE FROM CANADA,
ONTARIO, AND THIS PAST SUMMER
THEY WERE HORRIBLE WILDFIRES
THAT WERE REALLY SURPRISING FOR
US.
WE HAD NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE.
AND IT IS JUST ONTARIO IS OVER
THE, AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PART
OF THE WORLD THAT I HAVE NEVER
THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN IN AND I
AM SCARED.
I THINK, ALSO, WE ARE LITERALLY
AWARE THAT WE ARE PRIVILEGED
PEOPLE FROM A COUNTRY THAT IS
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING
THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
TAKE THAT ON OURSELVES.
WE ARE ALSO A SCIENCE
COMMUNITY, WE READ SCIENCE ALL
THE TIME WE ARE SCIENCE
TEACHERS AND SCIENCE AND THE
CLIMATE CRISIS ARE COMPLETELY
LATE BECAUSE WE ARE USING
SCIENTIFIC EVENTS TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS GOING ON.
WE ARE ALSO USING SITE TO
FIGURE OUT THE SOLUTION.
ONCE AGAIN, PEOPLE OF EARTH,
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
THANK YOU FOR COMING, I AM
TRYING TO, THIS IS COUNTDOWN.
WELCOME TO YOU WHO ARE JOINING
US FOR WHEREVER IN THE WORLD,
WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM
THE TED WORLD THEATER IN NEW
YORK CITY, TALKING ABOUT
SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE
CRISIS.
A LOT OF TODAY’S SPEAKERS HAVE
OUTLINED A REALLY BIG PATHWAY
TOWARD A CLEANER, MORE JUST
FUTURE.
HERE TO INTRODUCE MORE IDEAS
FROM THE HEADCOUNT DOWNSTAIRS,
IS REGINA HALL.
HELLO, I AM REGINA HALL.
HUMANS ACROSS THE GROVE HAVE SO
MUCH IN COMMON, WE OFTEN SHARE
THE SAME GOALS.
HEALTH, SECURITY, HAPPINESS,
OPPORTUNITY, PROSPERITY.
IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT
EXPANDING ACCESS TO ALL OF THESE
FOR MORE PEOPLE, WE MIGHT
INTERACT THE CLIMATE PROCESS
IMMEDIATELY.
THE MOST SEVERE IMPACTS OF THIS
CRISIS ARE FELT FIRST AND
HARDEST I THE POOR AND
VULNERABLE.
IRONICALLY, THOSE WHO HAVE
OFTEN DONE THE LEAST TO CAUSE
IT.
WE MUST ACT TOGETHER, NEAR AND
FAR, ACROSS THE OCEAN AND
WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE
ONLY AS STRONG AS THE MOST
EXPOSED AMONG US.
I COME TO THIS TOPIC VIA MY
WORK, ON WOMEN’S HEALTH AND
RIGHTS.
I KNOW THAT THE WAY WE TREAT
OUR PLANET IS EQUALLY
IMPORTANT, FOR THE WAY THAT WE
TREAT OUR BODIES.
AND, SADLY, WOMEN OFTEN GET THE
SHORT END OF THE STICK.
IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THIS, ONCE
AND FOR ALL.
BUT HOW DO WE DO THAT?
WE CAN START BY LISTENING TO
VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
INCLUDING AND, ESPECIALLY,
THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE LEADING THE
WAY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
LEADERSHIP COMES IN ALL SHAPES
AND SIZES.
AND THE BEST LEADERS INSPIRE
OTHERS TO STEP UP, TOO.
AS WE WITNESSED DURING OUR
CURRENT GLOBAL PANDEMIC, WE ALL
HAVE TO PLANT OUR PART TO
OVERCOME IT.
THE SAME IS TRUE ABOUT THE
CLIMATE CRISIS.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT LEADERS,
WHO AROUND THE GLOBE, MAYBE
THEY WILL BRING OUT THE LEADER
IN ME AND IN ALL OF YOU.
TODAY MANY OF US ARE GETTING
INVOLVED AT A YOUNGER AND
YOUNGER AGE.
16-YEAR-OLD, 15, 14, 10-YEAR-
OLDS ARE OUT ON THE FRONT LINE.
MISSING SCHOOL, DRAFTY
MANIFESTO, ORGANIZING
DEMONSTRATION, BRINGING
GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATIONS TO
COURT.
REFUSING TO WAIT UNTIL WE ARE
OLDER.
TO START MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
BUT BEING A CHANGE MAKER IS NOT
SOMETHING ANYBODY HAS ON THEIR
BUCKET LIST.
IT ISN’T SOMETHING KIDS ASPIRE
TO BECOME WHEN THEY GROW UP.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT JUST
HAPPENS.
SOMETHING ACTIVATES YOU.
AN EXPERIENCE, AN INJUSTICE
THAT TAKES PLACE.
BIG OR SMALL.
LOCAL OR GLOBAL.
AND THEN THERE IS ALMOST NO
CHOICE BUT TO GET INVOLVED.
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS I HAVE
SPENT MORE TIME IN OTHER
STUDENTS CLUSTERS THAT IN MY
OWN.
CERTAIN PRINCIPLES OF
LEADERSHIP, SUSTAINABILITY, AND
CHANGEMAKERS SKILLS, I CAN SAY
WITH CONFIDENCE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE ACHING FOR SKILLS
AND KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL ALLOW
THEM TO ACT RESPECTFULLY TODAY.
REAL CHANGE CAN START IN THE
CLASSROOM, BUT THE CLASSROOM
HAS AN INCREASINGLY DISTANT
RELATIONSHIP WITH REALITY.
I THINK IT IS HIGH TIME TO
ENSURE THAT WHAT WE LEARN IN
THE CLASSROOM REFLECTS WHAT IS
HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THEM.
AND TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE
STUDENT IN EVERY CORNER OF THE
WORLD HAS AT LEAST ONE HOUR A
DAY OF MANDATORY LESSONS ABOUT
THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
ABOUT ANY SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATIONS, ABOUT THE
REALITIES OF TODAY’S WORLD.
FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADUATION,
AND I MEAN MANDATORY.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT EVERY
YOUNG PERSON CAN BE A CHANGE
MAKER.
THAT OFTEN THEY NEED HELP
KNOWING WHERE AND HOW TO START.
AT JUST 12 YEARS OLD, I
WITNESSED THE DEVASTATING
IMPACT OF POLLUTION HAVING ON
MY PARENTS HOME COUNTRY.
ON ONE OF MY SUMMER VISIT, I
WITNESSED SMOG SO HEAVY IT
COMPLETELY BLANKETED THE AIR.
OBSCURING THE STARS I WANTED TO
TRACE OUT OF THE NIGHT SKY.
I DECIDED TO READ MORE ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE IN IRAN, AND I
BECAME INCREASINGLY ALARMED.
PARTICULARLY WHEN I LEARNED THE
FACT THAT TEMPERATURES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST WERE RISING MORE
THAN TWICE THE GLOBAL AVERAGE.
ARMED WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE I
DECIDED TO CONFRONT MY
RELATIVES.
BUT I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY
INFORMED ME THAT THEY KNEW
ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE.
SO, I BEGAN TO DIG INTO THE
LACK OF CLIMATE EDUCATION IN
IRAN, AND I FOUND A STUDY THAT
READ ONLY 5% OF IRANIAN STUDENTS
CAN PROPERLY EXPLAIN THE
GREENHOUSE GAS EFFECT.
AS I CONTINUE TO SCOUR THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION,
I BEGAN TO CONNECT THE DOTS.
FROM WHAT I COULD SEE, THERE
WAS A SEVERE LACK OF CLAIMANT
RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN FARSI,
THE NATIVE LANGUAGE.
NOW, MY STORY IS ANECDOTAL.
BUT THE FACT IS THE VAST
MAJORITY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH,
THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT
NEEDS TO CHANGE WHEN IT COMES
TO CLAIM A CHANGE.
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
DON’T SPEAK ENGLISH.
IN FACT, 75% OF THEM DO NOT
SPEAK ENGLISH AT ALL.
IN AN EFFORT TO CLOSE THE
CLIMATE TRANSLATION GAP I
DECIDED TO START CLIMATE
CARDINALS.
AN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH LED
NONPROFIT WORKING TO MAKE
CLIMATE EDUCATION MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE THAT DON’T
SPEAK ENGLISH.
WE WORK WITH OVER 8000
BILINGUAL STUDENT VOLUNTEERS
WHO TRANSLATE CLAIMANT
INFORMATION IN EXCHANGE FOR
COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
IN JUST OVER A YEAR WE
TRANSLATED HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF WORDS OF CLIMATE
INFORMATION INTO OVER 100
LANGUAGES.
INCLUDING DURABLE, SYMBOLIC,
SWAHILI, AND OTHERS.
A RAGTAG GROUP OF TEENAGERS
THAT CONGREGATE THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA, DOING THIS WORK, IMAGINE
THE IMPACT THAT A CONCENTRATED
EFFORT BY GOVERNMENT, SCIENTISTS
AND POLICYMAKERS WOULD HAVE.
GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
CLIMATE CHANGE DESERVE TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO MAKE SENSE OF THESE
DISASTERS THAT ARE DESTROYING
THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE
INFORMED ABOUT THE CLIMATE
CRISIS THE GREATER CHANCE WE
HAVE TWO COORDINATE COLLECTIVE
EFFORTS IN PROTECTION OF THE
FUTURE OF OUR PLANET.
BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN
THE WORLD, EVERY SINGLE PERSON
IN THIS ROOM, HAS THE POWER TO
FURTHER CLIMATE ACTION.
SO WE MUST ENGAGE PEOPLE.
FROM EVERY COUNTRY, YOUNG AND
OLD, TO JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
CLIMATE JUSTICE.
ENGLISH CANNOT BE THE
BARRIER TO ENTRY.
THIS IS MIMI, THE LEADER OF
I WOMAN I-TEAM, AND A MOTHER.
A CONSERVATIONIST WHOSE ACTION
IS ROOTED IN OUR COMMUNITY ON
THE EDGE OF THE ECOSYSTEM.
IN THE PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY IN
WHICH IT OPERATES, A WOMAN IS
EXPECTED TO BE QUIET AND
SUBSERVIENT.
DURING A VILLAGE MEETING THE
LADIES CONGREGATE IN THE
KITCHEN WHILE THE MEN DISCUSS
POLICIES AND BUDGET.
AND OFTENTIMES EVEN IF SHE IS
PRESENTLY IN THE MEETING ROOM,
SHE IS EXPECTED TO NOT VOICE
HER OPINION.
RATHER, LETTING A MALE RELATIVE
ANSWER QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO
HER.
WITHOUT CONSULTING HER FIRST.
WHEN I ASKED THE MEETING WHY,
THEY SAID WE ARE MOTHERS AND
GRANDMOTHERS, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR EVERYTHING.
FROM THE MOMENT WE WAKE UP WE
HAVE TO WASH CLOTHES, COOK, AND
MAKE COFFEE FOR OUR FAMILY.
MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE NEED
WATER AND EVERY ASPECT OF OUR
LIVES.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT
PROTECTS OUR WATER SOURCE IS
THE FOREST UP THE MOUNTAIN.
THIS IS ANYTHING BUT
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE
FOREST WHICH HE BEGAN A COMPANY
IN HER HUSBAND COMPANY.
THE WITNESSED LOGGING AND
ENCROACHING INTO THE FOREST,
AND LOGGING AND ENCOURAGEMENT
SENSE DISASTERS DOWNSTREAM.
HEAVY RAINFALL THAT LASTED FOR
A FEW DAYS TURNED INTO FLASH
FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES.
DESTROYING THE VILLAGE.
AND IT’S ESSENTIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AFTER THE DISASTER, MIMI AND
OTHER VILLAGES HAD TO TAKE
REFUGE IN A SHELTER FOR A
WHILE.
BEING A REFUGEE IS HARD.
YOU DON’T HAVE SECURITY.
YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE THE ACCESS
TO CLEAN, FLOWING WATER.
IT IS HARD TO EVEN KEEP
YOURSELF SAFE AND CLEAN.
I DON’T WANT THAT KIND OF
DISASTER TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE NEED MORE WOMEN AND
POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP, WOMEN
FROM THE GRASSROOTS, WOMEN LIKE
MIMI.
[ SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE ]
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO CHANGE
THE DIRECTION OF OUR
CIVILIZATION?
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT
WHAT IS MISSING AT THIS POINT
IS NOT MORE FACTS AND
INFORMATION, OR EVEN TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
WHAT IS MISSING IS INSIGHT.
MY TEACHER, HAS SAID THAT IF WE
HAVEN’T YET CHANGED OUR WAY OF
LIVING, IT IS BECAUSE THE
AWAKENING ISN’T STRONG ENOUGH.
WE CAN’T HOPE TO CHANGE THE
WORLD IF WE CAN’T CHANGE OUR
OWN WAY OF SEEING THINGS. OUR
CONSCIOUSNESS.
BUT HOW CAN WE DO THIS?
IN THE ZEN TRADITION WE KNOW
THAT AWAKENING DOESN’T HAVE TO
HAPPEN ONLY WITH THE INTERNET,
WE NEED TO ENGAGE OUR WHOLE
BEING RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE
PRESIDENT MOMENT.
AND A VERY SIMPLE WAY TO DO THIS
IS WITH THE PRACTICE OF MINDFUL
WALKING.
A POWERFUL MEDITATION THAT
DOESN’T REQUIRE HARD LABOR OR
EVEN EXTRA TIME.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST STEPS
YOU TOOK OUTSIDE THIS MORNING?
THE FEEL OF THE GROUND
UNDERFOOT?
THE FALL OF THE LIGHT, THE
QUALITY OF THE AIR?
DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TREE
ON YOUR WAY?
LIFE IS THERE FOR US, BUT THE
QUESTION IS, ARE WE THERE FOR
LIFE?
PERHAPS THIS MORNING WE HAD
SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT TO DO,
PERHAPS WE WERE IN A HURRY.
MANY OF US HAVE A FEELING THAT
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
BUT WHEN WE RUSH TO DO SOMETHING
ARE WE SAVING TIME?
OR ARE WE LOSING IT?
THERE IS A LOT THAT IS URGENT.
BUT IN ORDER TO TAKE THE TIME
TO MAKE RADICAL, DECISIVE
ACTION THAT OUR PLANET IS
CALLING FOR, WE NEED TO BE
FULLY PRESIDENT, GROUNDED AND
ALERT.
FEARLESS AND FREE.
THERE ARE NOTABLE, POWERFUL
STORIES OF LEADERSHIP OUT
THERE, AT ALL LEVELS FROM SMALL
COMMUNITIES TO THE GLOBAL STAGE.
AND ONE LESSON I TAKE FROM
THIS, FOR TODAY, IS IT CAN BE
HARD, REALLY, REALLY HARD TO
HAVE HOPE IN THE FACE OF A
CHALLENGE THAT IS BIG.
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO CHOOSE
OPTIMISM AND WE’VE GOT TO SHOW
UP FOR EACH OTHER.
YOU WILL BE SEEING MORE
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS AT A VERY
IMPORTANT EVENT THAT STARTS
TOMORROW.
IT IS CALLED COP 26 AND WE HAVE
INVITED SOME EXPERTS AND
FRIENDS OF COUNTDOWN TO TELL US
ALL ABOUT IT.
COP 26, THE CONFERENCE OF
THE PARTIES, ON THE CLIMATE
TREATY IS WHERE EVERY NATION IN
THE WORLD COMES TOGETHER TO
NEGOTIATE COLLECTIVE ACTION TO
SOLVE THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
COP 26, THE ONE COMING UP
NOW, IN GLASGOW, IS THE 26th
TIME THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE
GOTTEN TOGETHER TO DO FOLLOW-UP
TO THE CRISIS.
THEY NEED TO COME TO THE TABLE
TO REPORT TO EACH OTHER WHAT
THEY HAVE DONE SINCE PARIS,
AND, MOST IMPORTANT, COMMIT TO
EACH OTHER WHAT FURTHER EFFORTS
THEY WILL DO OVER THE NEXT 5-10
YEARS.
THE MOST DECISIVE DECADE IN THE
HISTORY OF HUMANITY.
FIRST THING, WITH COP 26
THAT THE AVERAGE VIEWER SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF
ACRONYMS, THERE IS ONE RIGHT
THERE.
BUT IT IS A PANEL ON CLIMATE
CHANGE THAT SAID WE HAD 12
YEARS AND THAT WAS 3 1/2 YEARS
AGO.
COP 26 IS ALSO AFFECTED
POSSIBLY THE LAST TWO IBC
REPORTS, SCIENCE BUT VERY
LOUDLY IN 2015 AND JUST A FEW
MONTHS FROM TODAY WE HAVE
RECEIVED THE SIXTH REPORT IN
AUGUST THAT WAS THE RED
COMFORTER HUMANITY, THOSE TWO
REPORTS ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE
SCIENCE.
WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, IF
WE DON’T FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AS
COMMUNICATED IN THE REPORTS FOR
CONNECTIONS WILL BE MADE AT
COP 26 BECAUSE THEY WILL TELL
US WHETHER WE ARE ON TRACK TO
THE GOAL THAT HAS BE REACHED BY
2030 WHICH IS CUTTING GLOBAL
EMISSIONS FROM WHERE THEY ARE
TODAY TO 50%.
THE LANGUAGE IS NOT EVERYDAY
LANGUAGE, AND IT IS A JOB OF
ACTIVISTS TO BE COMMUNICATORS
OF SCIENCE AND OF THE DECISIONS
THAT HAPPEN BEHIND THESE WALLS.
IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS
AN EMERGENCY BUT I THINK THAT
INCLUDING STUDENTS IS CRITICAL,
BECAUSE INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF
TAKING CARE OF MOTHER EARTH IS
A RECIPROCAL ACTION THAT IS
PART OF THAT IMPERATIVE WE NEED
TO KEEP.
EVERYONE OF US CAN HAVE
ACTION, AT DIFFERENT SCALES,
NOT ONLY POLITICAL BUT
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION,
EVERYBODY THAT HAS A CAPACITY
OF TAKING A DECISION, THE
DECISION-MAKERS, HAVE THE
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING
PART OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
CHALLENGE WE HAVE EVER FACED AS
A SPECIES.
I HOPE YOU DON’T LOSE ALL, I
PRAY YOU DON’T LOSE HOPE AND I
SEE SOME OF YOU WANT TO CHECK
OUT, DON’T DO THAT.
DON’T GIVE UP, DON’T GIVE IN.
FIGHT TO THE END, WHATEVER YOU
DO, KEEP FIGHTING FOR THIS
PLANET.
IS GOING TO BE A BUSY TWO
WEEKS IN SCOTLAND, A LOT IS ON
THE LINE.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER
QUESTION WE GOT FOR DAVID,
FORGIVE ME IF I AM PRONOUNCING
YOUR NAME ON, BUT WHAT ARE THE
NEW TECHNOLOGIES BEING
INTRODUCED TO REDUCE CARBON
EMISSIONS FROM IMAGES?
I LOVE THIS QUESTION IT IS
GREAT BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE
HOPE COMES IN.
SO, THERE ARE NOW NEW
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLOW US TO
PRODUCEUSING ELECTRICITY, OR
HYDROGEN INSTEAD OF CALL.
THERE ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO
TURN CEMENT, YOU KNOW, THE
THING BUILDING THIS BUILDING
RIGHT HERE, FROM A CARBON
SOURCE INTO A CARBON SINK.
SO CHOPPING THAT CO2 IN THE
CEMENT.
AND THEN, WE ARE ALSO STARTING
TO DEVELOP WHAT IS CALLED
MECHANICAL TREES.
TECHNOLOGIES TO PULL CARBON OUT
OF THE AIR, AND IT SORT OF
BLENDS THE NATURAL AND
TECHNOLOGICAL, BECAUSE YOU ARE
HARNESSING GEOLOGY.
TO PULL THAT CO2 BACK OUT.
YOUR SPEEDING UP THE NATURAL
PROCESSES WITH THESE MACHINES.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT GET ME EXCITED.
YOUR SAY CYBORGS?
YES, CYBER EXCEL, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
IS FINALLY TIME TO FIND OUT
IF RAINN WILSON EVER FOUND
ANYTHING FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE, LET’S TAKE A LOOK.
IS THERE ANYTHING FUNNY
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
GIVEN THE EXTREME WEATHER WE’VE
HAD IN RECENT YEARS, THERE ARE
STILL PEOPLE WHO CLAIM IT IS A
HOAX.
YEAH, THAT’S HILARIOUS.
WHAT IS FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE?
NOTHING.
NOTHING IS FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS REALLY NOT
FUNNY, AND –
I GET TO SIT AROUND MY HOUSE
IN MY UNDER, I SWEAR TO GOD I
AM IN MY UNDERWEAR, I AM NOT
GOING TO SHOW YOU BUT I AM.
I WAS LOOKING FOR AL GORE’S
MOVIE ON ENVIRONMENT AND I WENT
TO A SECTION OF THE STORE THAT
WAS SELLING ALL DVDS, DO YOU
HAVE AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH?
THEY SAID YES, YOU ARE FAT
BECAUSE YOU EAT TOO MUCH.
MY MOM SAID TO ME WHEN I WAS
MESSING WITH SOMETHING I
SHOULDN’T BE MESSING WITH, IF
YOU MESS WITH IT TOO MUCH IT
WILL BREAK.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.
CAN WE PUT IT BACK TOGETHER?
THE WAY I NEEDED TO PUT THINGS
BACK TOGETHER WHEN I WAS A
LITTLE KID WITH SUPERGLUE AND A
COUPLE HOURS TO REASSEMBLE THIS
PRECIOUS HEIRLOOM VASE YOU HAVE
HAD SINCE YOU WERE A YOUNG
WOMAN THAT I BROKE?
PRETENDING TO BE SOME KIND OF
PERSON I MADE UP IN MY HEAD?
YEAH, I DON’T KNOW.
CLIMATE CHANGE KIND OF
REMINDS ME OF A GAME OF THRONES
WERE THERE WINNING EVERYONE
WINTER IS COMING.
WINTER IS COMING.
AND EVERYONE IN KING’S LENDING,
IS LIKE OH, I WONDER WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITHIN MINISTERS ON
THE STARKS AND THE TARGET
AREAS.
WE JUST CONTINUE AS THOUGH
WE ARE JUST DANCING ON THE
TITANIC AS IT SINKS.
I GUESS WHAT, SUMMER IS
COMING AND IT IS COMING HARD,
THAT IS WHAT SHE SAID.
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS ONCE I
AM GONE, NOT MY PROBLEM.
BUT THEN, I HAVE CHILDREN.
THAT’S THE PART THAT MAKES IT
ROUGH.
YEAH, THAT IS THE KILLER FOR
ME.
I THINK.
I GOT THESE KIDS AND I WANT
THEM TO HAVE KIDS AND I WOULD
LIKE THE SPECIES TO CONTINUE, SO
, IF IT WEREN’T FOR THAT GLOBAL
WARMING WOULD BE HILARIOUS.
IS THERE ANYTHING FUNNY
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
NO.
IT’S A VERY SERIOUS MATTER, A
VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
IT IS FUNNY THAT PEOPLE DON’T
THINK IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER
BUT THAT IS NOT FUNNY LIKE HA
HA BUT LIKE WHAT THE –
THIS IS A ROUGH EXPERIENCE ,
YOU HAVE PROVEN EMPIRICALLY
THAT THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
OKAY, FINE, MAYBE THERE IS
NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE.
LET’S FIX IT.
MAYBE THIS IS THE PROCESS, I
DON’T KNOW, GIVE ME A SECOND.
THANKS TO RAINN AND ALL OF
HIS FRIENDS ARE BRINGING THE
FUN TODAY.
NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
ANOTHER VOICE FROM THE
COUNTDOWN SUMMIT EARLIER THIS
MONTH, A POET, ACTIVIST,
ARTIST, NAIM A PENNIMAN.
IT IS THE SUN, NOT WANTING
TO RISE OUT OF DAYS. IT IS THE
SKY GRAY TIRED OF BEING EVER
BLUER AT ONCE, – AS CLOSE JUST
OFF AND HOLD THEMSELVES –
MAKE DEALS WITH GRAVITY –
RAIN IS – A SNOWFLAKE IS
IMPERFECT, ALL OF THE TIME.
IT IS TRYING TO BE ONE-OF-A-KIND
I WONDER IF STARS WISH UPON
THEMSELVES.
BEFORE THEY DIE.
IF THEY NEED TO TEACH THEIR
YOUNG HOW TO SIGN.
I WONDER, IF SHADOWS LONG TO
JUST, FOR ONCE, FEEL THE SUN.
IF THEY GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE
ABOUT KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE
FROM, I WONDER IF THE SUNRISE
AND SUNSET RESPECT EACH OTHER,
EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER
MET.
I HAVE A FEW STORMS REGRET IF
BOTH KIDDOS GET STRESS, IF
COMPOST HALF-LIGHT AFTER DEATH.
I WONDER.
IF BREATH EVER COMMITTED
SUICIDE.
IF THE WIND JUST ONE SAID I
CAN’T FEEL SOMETIMES, I’M
WATCHING THE WORLD PASS THEM BY
AS IF IT WAS BORN KNOWING HOW
TO DIE.
IF RAINBOWS GET SHOCKED
BACKSTAGE NOT SHOWING UP THERE
COLORS MATCH RIGHT.
I WONDER IF LIGHTNING NEEDS AN
ALARM CLOCK TO KNOW WHEN TO
CRACK AND THINK OF TURNING BACK
IF THEY MEET THE WRONG FEET AND
THEIR WHOLE LIVES RUN OFF
TRACK.
I WONDER IF THE SNOW WANTS TO
BE BLACK, AND THE WARRIOR
THINKS SHE IS TOO DARK IF
BUTTERFLIES WANT TO COVER UP
THEIR MARKS AND ROCKS FEEL SELF-
CONSCIOUS OF THEIR WEIGHT IF
MOUNTAINS ARE INSECURE OF THEIR
STRENGTH.
I WONDER IF RAIN GETS
DISCOURAGED, CRAWLING UP THE
SAND ONLY TO BE PULLED BACK
AGAIN TO WHERE THEY BEGAN AND
IF LAND FEELS STUCK.
IF SON FEELS INSIGNIFICANT, IF
PEOPLE QUESTIONED THEIR LOVERS
TO KNOW WHERE THEY STAND, IF
BRANCHES AT THE CROSSROADS OF
WHICH WAY TO GROW.
IF LEAVES UNDERSTAND. WHERE TO
BE WITH THE WIND BLOWS.
I WONDER WHERE THE MOON GOES
WHEN SHE IS IN HOUSE.
AND WATCH THE OCEAN SPIN FROM A
DISTANCE. – EFFORTS GIVE WAY
TO EXISTENCE.
THANK YOU, NAIM A, THAT LAST
LINE WAS AMAZING.
DAVID, BEFORE WE GO WHAT ARE
THE TAKEAWAYS THAT YOU WANT
VIEWERS TO WATCH FROM
EVERYTHING WE’VE SEEN TODAY?
TO THINK ABOUT AS THEY LEAVE?
WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY GREAT
TALKS BUT I THINK CLIMATE
CHANGE IS REAL, IT IS HERE, IT
IS HAPPENING NOW.
AND IT IS US.
WE ARE DOING IT.
THAT IS THE HOPE, THOUGH,
BECAUSE WE ARE DOING IT IT IS
NOT HOPELESS BUT WE KNOW WHAT
WE NEED TO DO TO CHANGE IT.
WE GET TO DECIDE WHAT FUTURE WE
WANT.
IS IT GOING TO BE WORSE?
OR HOW MUCH BETTER WILL IT GET?
THANK YOU, DAVID, THANKS TO
ALL OF OUR INCREDIBLE SPEAKERS.
WHAT WE NEED NOW, THOUGH, IS NOT
MORE SPEECHES.
IT IS MORE ACTION.
STARTING ON A PERSONAL LEVEL,
SWITCH TO LEDS, RIDE PUBLIC
TRANSPORT, EAT LESS MEAT AND
DAIRY AND THEN GO BIGGER.
BUSINESSES YOU BUY FROM,
POLITICIANS YOU VOTE FOR, YOUR
EMPLOYER, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD,
SPEAK UP SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
JOIN FORCES WITH OTHERS WHO ARE
DOING THE SAME.
THIS IS DOABLE.
SO LET’S DO IT.
BEFORE IT DOES US.
THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND NOW
ONCE AGAIN, TO TAKE US HOME,
CHARLIE PUTH.
THANKS, I AM HERE TODAY
BECAUSE I MYSELF AM VERY
PASSIONATE ABOUT COUNTDOWNS
MISSION TO CREATE A WORLD THAT
IS SAFER, CLEANER, AND MORE
JUST FOR EVERYONE.
WE CAN ALL HELP THEY COUNT US
IN CAMPAIGN LAYS OUT STEPS
EVERYONE CAN TAKE TO START
MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES FOR OUR
PLANET.
YOU CAN VISIT COUNTDOWN.TED.COM
TO FIND OUT MORE.
FINALLY, BEFORE WE GO I WANT TO
LEAVE YOU ALL WITH ONE MORE
SONG, HERE IS MY SONG,
ATTENTION.
♪
YOU BEEN RUN UNDERGROUND
RUNNIN’ ‘ROUND RUNNIN’ ‘ROUND
THROWIN’ THAT DIRT ALL ON MY
NAME.
‘CAUSE YOU KNEW THAT I KNEW
THAT I KNEW THAT I CALL YOU UP.
YOU BEEN GOING AROUND GOING
AROUND GOING DOWN EVERY PARTY
IN LA ‘CAUSE YOU KNEW THAT I
KNEW THAT I KNEW THAT I WOULD
BE AT ONE.
I KNOW THAT ADDRESSES, PERFUME
REGRET.
YOU GOT ME THINKING ABOUT WHEN
YOU WERE MINE OH AND NOW I’M
ALL UP ON YA WHAT YOU EXPECT
BUT YOUR NOT COMING HOME WITH
ME TONIGHT.
BUT YOUR NOT COMING HOME WITH
ME TONIGHT.
YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION, YOU
DON’T WANT MY HEART.
MAYBE YOU JUST HATE THE THOUGHT
OF ME WITH SOMEONE NEW YEAH,
YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION, I KNEW
FROM THE START.
YOU’RE JUST MAKING SURE I’M
NEVER GETTING OVER YOU, OH.
RUNNIN’ ‘ROUND RUNNIN’ ‘ROUND
RUNNIN’ ‘ROUND THROWIN’ THAT
ARE ALL ON MY NAME.
‘CAUSE YOU KNEW THAT I KNEW
THAT I KNEW THAT I CALL YOU UP
BABY NOW THAT WE’RE NOW THAT WE
ARE NOW THAT WE’RE RIGHT HERE,
STAND AND FACE TO FACE, I KNOW
THAT DRESSES,, PERFUME REGRET.
YEAH YOU GOT ME THINKING ABOUT
WHEN YOU WERE MINE.
YOU GOT ME THINKING ABOUT WHEN
YOU WERE MINE, AND NOW I’M ALL
UP ON YA BUT YOU’RE NOT COMING
HOME WITH ME TONIGHT.
YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION, MAYBE
YOU JUST HATE THE THOUGHT OF ME
WAS SOMEONE NEW YEAH YOU JUST
WANT ATTENTION, I KNEW FROM THE
START YOU’RE JUST MAKING SURE
I’M NEVER GET OVER YOU WHAT ARE
YOU DOING TO ME?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HUH?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HUH?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME, WHAT
ARE YOU DOING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HUH?
I KNOW THAT DRESS IS KARMA
PERFUME REGRET.
YOU GOT ME THINKING ABOUT WHEN
YOU WERE MINE. AND NOW I’M ALL
UP ON YA WHAT YOU EXPECT?
BUT YOUR NOT COMING HOME WITH
ME TONIGHT.
YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION, YOU
DON’T WANT MY HEART.
MAYBE YOU JUST HATE THE THOUGHT
OF ME WITH SOMEONE NEW.
YEAH, YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION,
I KNEW FROM THE START.
YOU’RE JUST MAKING SURE I’M
NEVER GETTING OVER YOU. WHAT
ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HUH?
YOU JUST WANT ATTENTION, I KNEW
FROM THE START.
YOU’RE JUST MAKING SURE I’M
NEVER GETTIN’ OVER YOU.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HUH?
♪