Accelerating Solutions to the Climate Crisis: TEDCountdown @BloombergGreenFestival’s Talks

We are halfway through the defining decade for climate change: the decisions and actions taken today will determine how we live tomorrow. During a special evening of TED Talks, performances and conversations, TED’s global climate initiative, TED countdownteamed up with Bloomberg Green at the Bloomberg Green Festival in Seattle to dive into the current state of the climate, broader thinking about the economy, the interplay between climate and democracy, and more.

The event: TEDCountdown@BloombergGreenFestival, a session of TED Talks presented by TED Countdown, TED’s global climate initiative, and Bloomberg Green. Presented by Logan McClure Davda, TED’s Head of Impact, and Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour.

When and where: McCaw Hall, Seattle, WA, on July 11, 2024

Speakers: Johan Rockström, Akshat Rathi, Gaya Herrington, Nathaniel Stinnett, Deb Chachra, Aline Sousa and Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir

Music: Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and musician Courtney Marie Andrews plays ‘May Your Kindness Remain’ and ‘If I Told’, music based on a personal journey of self-discovery and introspection.

The conversations in short:

We are in the mid-2020s, the most decisive decade for action on climate change. Where exactly do things stand? Climate scientist Johan Rockstrom provides a candid status report on the state of our planet – the more we learn, the more risks we discover – and explains what needs to be done to maintain a safe operating space for humanity on Earth.

Historically, capitalist economies have sought profit by extracting resources from the environment. Can we flip that script? Author and climate reporter Akshat Rathi shows how the climate crisis is forcing governments and companies to change the way capitalism works, using its powers to create solutions instead of exacerbating problems.

It’s time to change the purpose of our economic system from the ruthless pursuit of growth to human and environmental well-being, says sustainability researcher and economist Gaya Herrington. She calls for a “wellbeing economy” that shifts the global mindset from “never enough” to “enough for all” and prioritizes solving poverty, caring for nature and promoting shared prosperity for all.

The biggest barrier to tackling the climate crisis is a lack of political will, says environmental advocate Nathaniel Stinnett. He explains why increasing voter participation among citizens is crucial to implementing climate solutions – and explains how his nonprofit uses behavioral science to translate climate concern into environmental action.

Infrastructure must be localized, flexible and reversible if we want to provide the world with sustainable green energy in the long term, says engineering professor Deb Chakra. She investigates how connecting to the electricity grid offers individual freedom of choice – a luxury not shared by everyone – and explains why these shared networks must change with the environment if we want to tackle climate change.

What do the people who work every day to implement climate change solutions really think? Visited TED Countdown Aline Sousapresident of CENTCOOP, a network of more than 1,000 waste pickers in Brasilia, to hear the importance of these often overlooked individuals putting climate solutions into practice. She calls for better recognition – and payment – ​​for these key players working to reduce and neutralize emissions.

Filmmaker and leader in sustainability Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir shares her journey in which she delves into the Icelandic principle InnSæi, or intuition. She suggests that tuning into your unconscious mind offers new paths to success, and outlines three ways InnSæi can help humanity tackle our greatest existential threats.