WEBVTT 00:00:00.039 --> 00:00:02.011 [Citizens of the world] 00:00:02.035 --> 00:00:05.146 [We face a global crisis of unprecedented scale] 00:00:05.170 --> 00:00:07.529 [Please stand by for a message from ...] 00:00:07.553 --> 00:00:09.666 [The secretary-general of the United Nations] 00:00:09.690 --> 00:00:10.866 [António Guterres] NOTE Paragraph 00:00:10.890 --> 00:00:14.889 The climate emergency is the defining crisis of our time. 00:00:14.913 --> 00:00:17.970 We are in a race against time and we are losing. 00:00:18.294 --> 00:00:22.009 There is a growing tide of impatience, especially among young people, 00:00:22.033 --> 00:00:23.761 with global inaction. 00:00:23.785 --> 00:00:25.697 We need more ambition from all: 00:00:25.721 --> 00:00:29.850 governments, cities, businesses, investors and people everywhere. 00:00:30.319 --> 00:00:33.636 So I'm pleased you are launching TED Countdown. 00:00:33.660 --> 00:00:36.708 Your influence and ideas can help accelerate momentum 00:00:36.732 --> 00:00:39.387 for a carbon-neutral world by 2050. 00:00:39.836 --> 00:00:43.656 That is the only way to avert the worst impacts of global heating. 00:00:44.074 --> 00:00:47.089 We have the tools, the science, and the resources. 00:00:47.526 --> 00:00:51.486 Let us now get into this race with political will and energy. 00:00:51.963 --> 00:00:55.796 To do anything less will be a betrayal of our entire human family 00:00:55.820 --> 00:00:57.669 and generations to come. 00:00:57.693 --> 00:00:58.843 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:00:59.487 --> 00:01:01.183 Announcer: And now, please welcome 00:01:01.207 --> 00:01:03.666 one of the architects of the Paris Climate Agreement 00:01:03.690 --> 00:01:04.849 Christiana Figueres, 00:01:04.873 --> 00:01:06.898 and the head of TED, Chris Anderson. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:06.922 --> 00:01:13.922 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:01:14.982 --> 00:01:16.776 Chris Anderson: Welcome, welcome. 00:01:17.540 --> 00:01:20.938 Something remarkable is going to happen in the next hour. 00:01:21.851 --> 00:01:24.486 The world's single most alarming challenge, 00:01:24.510 --> 00:01:26.204 which looks something like this ... 00:01:29.271 --> 00:01:30.817 is about to go head to head 00:01:30.841 --> 00:01:33.522 with some of the world's most amazing minds 00:01:33.546 --> 00:01:35.395 and courageous hearts, 00:01:35.419 --> 00:01:37.734 which look something like you. 00:01:38.434 --> 00:01:41.950 The extraordinary audience we have here in New York and around the world. 00:01:41.974 --> 00:01:45.307 Christiana, it's quite the crowd we get to hang out with this morning. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:45.331 --> 00:01:47.387 Christiana Figueres: It sure is, no kidding. 00:01:47.411 --> 00:01:49.736 It's a good thing that everyone is here together, 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.475 because actually, this initiative that we're just about to launch 00:01:53.499 --> 00:01:55.752 needs everyone to participate. 00:01:56.173 --> 00:01:58.240 And here it is. 00:01:58.881 --> 00:02:00.031 Countdown. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:00.358 --> 00:02:04.191 CA: Countdown is a global initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions. 00:02:04.215 --> 00:02:07.334 It's seeking bold solutions in five big areas, 00:02:07.358 --> 00:02:08.984 imagining what could be achieved 00:02:09.008 --> 00:02:13.656 if different groups broke out of their silos and acted together. 00:02:14.133 --> 00:02:18.044 Starting today, you can go to countdown.ted.com 00:02:18.068 --> 00:02:20.335 and sign up to join the Countdown. 00:02:21.163 --> 00:02:22.893 Early in 2020, 00:02:22.917 --> 00:02:25.028 we'll be sharing plans on how you can connect 00:02:25.052 --> 00:02:27.594 with others in your company, your city or your school, 00:02:27.618 --> 00:02:29.256 to engage in this issue. 00:02:30.442 --> 00:02:32.347 It's all leading up to global gatherings 00:02:32.371 --> 00:02:35.156 on 10.10.2020. 00:02:35.180 --> 00:02:38.220 Everyone in the world is invited to participate. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:38.244 --> 00:02:39.418 CF: And so that's why, 00:02:39.442 --> 00:02:42.951 although I've been part of many initiatives along the years, 00:02:42.975 --> 00:02:44.903 I'm really excited about this one. 00:02:44.927 --> 00:02:49.401 Because Countdown is an invitation to everyone, everyone, 00:02:49.425 --> 00:02:51.828 to play their part in saving our planet 00:02:51.852 --> 00:02:55.447 and creating an exciting future. 00:02:55.471 --> 00:02:57.526 Politicians and citizens, 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:00.149 CEOs and their customers, 00:03:00.173 --> 00:03:03.069 their employees, their investors, 00:03:03.093 --> 00:03:05.244 old and young, 00:03:05.268 --> 00:03:06.593 north and south. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:06.617 --> 00:03:08.926 CA: (Laughs) I see what you did there. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:08.950 --> 00:03:10.586 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:03:10.982 --> 00:03:13.782 But look, our goal is not to plunge in 00:03:13.806 --> 00:03:15.671 with something new that is competitive 00:03:15.695 --> 00:03:18.703 with the amazing initiatives already out there. 00:03:18.727 --> 00:03:19.877 No. 00:03:19.901 --> 00:03:24.696 It's to identify the best solutions that have already been worked on 00:03:24.720 --> 00:03:28.101 to cross-fertilize them, to amplify them, 00:03:28.125 --> 00:03:29.942 and then activate them, 00:03:29.966 --> 00:03:32.886 by bringing together these different groups. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:33.490 --> 00:03:34.697 CF: And if that happens, 00:03:34.721 --> 00:03:38.355 we believe there is a way out of the climate crisis. 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:40.006 That's what we want to facilitate. 00:03:40.030 --> 00:03:41.790 But now, Chris, question. 00:03:42.815 --> 00:03:46.505 Why are you and TED interested in participating 00:03:46.529 --> 00:03:49.713 and actually activating the climate agenda, 00:03:49.737 --> 00:03:53.370 when I thought you were all about spreading ideas? NOTE Paragraph 00:03:53.394 --> 00:03:57.498 CA: Well, indeed, that has been our focused mission for the last 15 years, 00:03:57.522 --> 00:03:58.988 Ideas Worth Spreading. 00:04:00.022 --> 00:04:01.268 But last summer, 00:04:01.292 --> 00:04:04.450 we concluded that the urgency of some issues, 00:04:04.474 --> 00:04:06.014 and especially climate, 00:04:06.038 --> 00:04:09.014 demanded that we try to do more than just spread ideas, 00:04:09.038 --> 00:04:11.910 that we actually try to activate them. 00:04:12.530 --> 00:04:15.839 Now, we're just a relatively small nonprofit -- 00:04:15.863 --> 00:04:20.172 that would not amount to anything if we fail to bring other people on board. 00:04:20.196 --> 00:04:22.895 But the amazing thing is that that has happened. 00:04:22.919 --> 00:04:27.799 Everyone we've spoken to about this has got excited about participating. 00:04:28.284 --> 00:04:32.389 And one of the key moments, frankly, was when you came on board, Christiana. 00:04:32.413 --> 00:04:36.540 I mean, you were key to the Paris Agreement. 00:04:36.564 --> 00:04:39.905 And the world was stunned at the consensus that emerged there. 00:04:39.929 --> 00:04:43.012 What was the key to creating that consensus? NOTE Paragraph 00:04:43.036 --> 00:04:48.203 CF: I would say it was to really challenge and change people's assumption 00:04:48.227 --> 00:04:53.101 about what is possible if we set a shared intention 00:04:53.125 --> 00:04:57.394 and then collectively pursue it and achieve it. 00:04:57.736 --> 00:05:01.617 So our mantra then, and continues to be: 00:05:01.641 --> 00:05:04.728 "Impossible is not a fact, 00:05:04.752 --> 00:05:06.331 it's an attitude." 00:05:06.649 --> 00:05:08.339 In fact, only an attitude, 00:05:08.363 --> 00:05:10.763 and that is something we can change. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:11.410 --> 00:05:14.626 CA: Well, that mantra, certainly, we're going to have to hold on to 00:05:14.650 --> 00:05:15.824 in the months ahead, 00:05:15.848 --> 00:05:19.250 because the scientific consensus is actually worsening. 00:05:19.989 --> 00:05:21.910 For a quick report from the front lines, 00:05:21.934 --> 00:05:24.373 here's the head of the thousands of scientists 00:05:24.397 --> 00:05:27.909 who make up the IPCC, Dr. Hoesung Lee. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:29.795 --> 00:05:33.446 (Video) Hoesung Lee: We recently released three special reports 00:05:33.470 --> 00:05:38.352 that show the damage and risks of past and future climate change. 00:05:38.376 --> 00:05:41.291 They also show that stabilizing climate 00:05:41.315 --> 00:05:44.522 would imply a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions 00:05:44.546 --> 00:05:45.696 in the near term. 00:05:46.062 --> 00:05:49.863 Society will have to go through unprecedented changes 00:05:49.887 --> 00:05:51.087 to meet this goal. 00:05:51.442 --> 00:05:54.752 Even limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius 00:05:54.776 --> 00:05:57.870 will bring more extreme weather, 00:05:58.403 --> 00:06:00.093 rising sea levels, 00:06:00.117 --> 00:06:02.966 and water shortages in some regions, 00:06:02.990 --> 00:06:06.362 and threats to food security and biodiversity. 00:06:06.386 --> 00:06:10.595 Higher temperature will bring more of these damages, 00:06:10.619 --> 00:06:13.190 threatening lives and livelihoods 00:06:13.214 --> 00:06:16.147 of millions of people all around the world. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:16.952 --> 00:06:19.974 CA: We're lucky to have with us another world-leading scientist, 00:06:19.998 --> 00:06:21.625 Johan Rockström here. 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:26.053 He was responsible for creating the Planetary Boundaries framework. 00:06:26.546 --> 00:06:29.886 Johan, how serious is our situation? NOTE Paragraph 00:06:31.330 --> 00:06:34.092 (Video) Johan Rockström: Last week, we released in "Nature" 00:06:34.116 --> 00:06:37.338 the 10-year update of the risk of crossing tipping points, 00:06:37.362 --> 00:06:40.006 irreversible tipping points, in the Earth system. 00:06:40.030 --> 00:06:42.721 We know 15 such tipping points, 00:06:42.745 --> 00:06:45.466 including the Greenland and West Antarctic ice shelf, 00:06:45.490 --> 00:06:48.617 and the permafrost in the Siberian tundra, for example, 00:06:48.641 --> 00:06:50.625 and we today have observational evidence, 00:06:50.649 --> 00:06:51.989 I mean, empirical evidence, 00:06:52.013 --> 00:06:55.935 that nine of the 15 have woken up and are on the move. 00:06:56.391 --> 00:06:58.344 We haven't crossed the tipping point yet, 00:06:58.368 --> 00:06:59.591 the window is still open, 00:06:59.615 --> 00:07:02.709 but they are warning us that now is the time to truly move, 00:07:02.733 --> 00:07:04.550 because the moment we cross them, 00:07:04.574 --> 00:07:08.390 like, for example, approaching a tipping point in the Amazon rain forest, 00:07:08.414 --> 00:07:10.881 we would risk losing the battle, 00:07:10.905 --> 00:07:14.676 because the planet will be taking over its self-reinforced warming. 00:07:14.700 --> 00:07:18.096 So that is why this initiative is so incredibly important. 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:19.318 Let's go. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:19.342 --> 00:07:20.492 CA: Well said. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:20.516 --> 00:07:21.695 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:07:21.719 --> 00:07:26.183 So, both are very clear there that this agenda of cutting emissions 00:07:26.207 --> 00:07:28.052 is absolutely crucial. 00:07:28.076 --> 00:07:29.276 How has that been going? NOTE Paragraph 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:31.887 CF: Not very well, because despite what we know, 00:07:31.911 --> 00:07:34.014 despite everything that science has told us, 00:07:34.038 --> 00:07:35.805 despite everything that we have done, 00:07:35.829 --> 00:07:37.744 including adopting the Paris Agreement, 00:07:37.768 --> 00:07:42.974 we've actually been increasing greenhouse gases consistently 00:07:42.998 --> 00:07:44.451 over the past few decades, 00:07:44.475 --> 00:07:47.760 to the point where we're now at 55 gigatons 00:07:47.784 --> 00:07:49.466 of carbon dioxide equivalent, 00:07:49.490 --> 00:07:53.796 that we are collectively, as humanity, emitting every year. 00:07:54.725 --> 00:07:58.469 And as we have heard, we have one path -- 00:07:58.493 --> 00:08:01.391 there is one path that we have to follow, and that is: 00:08:01.415 --> 00:08:03.946 Start now to decrease emissions, 00:08:03.970 --> 00:08:05.578 instead of going up, go down -- 00:08:05.602 --> 00:08:07.869 reverse the trend, bend the curve. 00:08:08.601 --> 00:08:10.998 Reduce emissions starting in 2020, 00:08:11.022 --> 00:08:16.744 to the point where we will be one half the current level of emissions by 2030, 00:08:16.768 --> 00:08:22.443 and then continue decreasing them, until we are at net zero by 2050. 00:08:22.467 --> 00:08:24.879 It's the only path that we can accept. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:24.903 --> 00:08:28.806 CA: How do you even begin to start tackling a goal as daunting as that? NOTE Paragraph 00:08:29.157 --> 00:08:33.331 CF: Well, we could starting by breaking 00:08:33.355 --> 00:08:36.498 the simple, yet daunting challenge 00:08:36.522 --> 00:08:38.768 into its constituent pieces, 00:08:38.792 --> 00:08:40.211 five main areas. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:42.066 --> 00:08:45.050 CA: And so these five together 00:08:45.074 --> 00:08:47.161 are actually all huge, 00:08:47.185 --> 00:08:50.446 and if we can find compelling solutions in each of them, 00:08:50.470 --> 00:08:54.040 they would actually add up to an action plan 00:08:54.064 --> 00:08:56.597 that matches the scale of the problem. 00:08:57.365 --> 00:08:58.965 Well, here are the five. NOTE Paragraph 00:09:01.111 --> 00:09:02.261 CF: Power. 00:09:02.934 --> 00:09:07.365 How rapidly can we move to 100 percent clean energy? NOTE Paragraph 00:09:08.007 --> 00:09:09.460 CA: The built environment. 00:09:09.484 --> 00:09:13.769 How can we reengineer the stuff that surrounds us? NOTE Paragraph 00:09:14.793 --> 00:09:15.943 CF: Transport. 00:09:16.252 --> 00:09:21.823 How do we transform the ways we move ourselves and goods? NOTE Paragraph 00:09:22.728 --> 00:09:23.878 CA: Food. 00:09:24.323 --> 00:09:28.997 How can we spark a worldwide shift to healthier food systems? NOTE Paragraph 00:09:29.567 --> 00:09:31.499 CF: And certainly, nature. 00:09:31.868 --> 00:09:35.918 How extensively can we regreen the earth? 00:09:36.662 --> 00:09:40.865 Now, it's worth noting that the answers to these questions 00:09:40.889 --> 00:09:43.252 and the measures that we would undertake 00:09:43.276 --> 00:09:45.950 don't just reduce net emissions -- 00:09:45.974 --> 00:09:49.220 they do that, certainly, together, to zero -- 00:09:49.244 --> 00:09:51.823 but they also point the way to a future 00:09:51.847 --> 00:09:55.950 that is much better and genuinely exciting. 00:09:55.974 --> 00:10:00.355 So, think about cool new forms of transport, 00:10:00.379 --> 00:10:04.543 clean air, healthier food, beautiful forests, 00:10:04.567 --> 00:10:07.511 and oceans bursting with life. 00:10:08.268 --> 00:10:10.713 So, you know, solving the climate crisis 00:10:10.737 --> 00:10:15.681 isn't about sacrificing and settling for mediocre future, 00:10:15.705 --> 00:10:18.015 it's about the exact opposite. 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:21.824 It's about cocreating a much better future for all of us. NOTE Paragraph 00:10:22.804 --> 00:10:25.717 CA: So how do we tackle these questions? NOTE Paragraph 00:10:25.741 --> 00:10:26.931 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:10:26.955 --> 00:10:30.717 CA: Let's take this question here and think about this. 00:10:30.741 --> 00:10:33.028 How extensively can we regreen the earth? 00:10:33.052 --> 00:10:36.299 I mean, there are obviously many responses to this question, 00:10:36.323 --> 00:10:37.474 many proposals. 00:10:37.498 --> 00:10:38.728 It's fundamentally about 00:10:38.752 --> 00:10:42.410 "How do we increase the amount of sustainable photosynthesis 00:10:42.434 --> 00:10:43.585 on planet Earth." 00:10:43.609 --> 00:10:46.085 Photosynthesis sequesters carbon. 00:10:46.109 --> 00:10:50.656 There could be proposals around giant kelp forests or seagrass, 00:10:50.680 --> 00:10:53.815 or about forms of plants that have deeper roots 00:10:53.839 --> 00:10:56.856 and can sequester across the planet. 00:10:57.785 --> 00:11:02.499 But suppose a major proposal that came out was about reforestation. 00:11:02.523 --> 00:11:07.183 A massive, global reforestation campaign. 00:11:07.498 --> 00:11:10.649 I mean, a single organization, no matter how big, 00:11:10.673 --> 00:11:12.926 cannot take that on. 00:11:13.815 --> 00:11:16.291 The key is for everyone to join forces, 00:11:16.315 --> 00:11:17.831 for governments, with zoning, 00:11:17.855 --> 00:11:19.172 businesses to invest, 00:11:19.196 --> 00:11:20.979 investors to do that investing, 00:11:21.003 --> 00:11:24.122 environmental groups and philanthropists who support them, 00:11:24.146 --> 00:11:28.836 and just a massive movement among citizens everywhere, 00:11:28.860 --> 00:11:31.710 transforming their lawns, their cities, their neighborhoods, 00:11:31.734 --> 00:11:32.910 going on trips together. 00:11:32.934 --> 00:11:37.091 That is where, suddenly, you can dream about something really big. NOTE Paragraph 00:11:37.538 --> 00:11:39.593 CF: So can we test that theory? 00:11:39.617 --> 00:11:42.744 Because we are fortunate to have with us today 00:11:42.768 --> 00:11:47.649 someone who grew up inside a tree-planting movement, 00:11:47.673 --> 00:11:50.609 probably the most well-recognized tree-planting movement. 00:11:51.030 --> 00:11:54.037 And she is the daughter of the Nobel Prize winner 00:11:54.061 --> 00:11:55.260 Wangari Maathai, 00:11:55.284 --> 00:11:58.640 and she heads up the Wangari Maathai Foundation today. 00:11:58.942 --> 00:12:03.239 So can we invite our very dear friend Wanjira Mathai? NOTE Paragraph 00:12:03.263 --> 00:12:05.366 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:12:05.390 --> 00:12:07.490 (Video) Wanjira Mathai: Thank you very much, 00:12:07.514 --> 00:12:09.300 Christiana and Chris, for doing this. 00:12:09.324 --> 00:12:13.283 Trees have been indeed a part of my life for as long as I can remember, 00:12:13.307 --> 00:12:15.537 but we also know that for centuries, 00:12:15.561 --> 00:12:20.742 trees and forests have cushioned us against the harsh impacts 00:12:20.766 --> 00:12:22.076 of climate variation 00:12:22.100 --> 00:12:23.648 for very many years. 00:12:23.672 --> 00:12:24.965 In my lifetime, my mother, 00:12:24.989 --> 00:12:27.727 through the Green Belt Movement, as you mentioned, 00:12:27.751 --> 00:12:32.745 inspired the planting of 50 million trees, and counting, 00:12:32.769 --> 00:12:35.704 through the work of the Green Belt Movement, one organization. 00:12:35.728 --> 00:12:37.904 But the world now needs us 00:12:37.928 --> 00:12:43.061 to plant 100 times more trees than we did then. 00:12:43.085 --> 00:12:47.482 And the only way to do that is for all of us to come together -- 00:12:47.506 --> 00:12:52.704 cities, citizens, governments, companies, environmental organizations -- 00:12:52.728 --> 00:12:55.220 and we must believe, therefore, 00:12:55.244 --> 00:12:59.585 in the capacity for each of us to be potent agents of change. 00:12:59.609 --> 00:13:02.440 And that together, we are a force. 00:13:02.464 --> 00:13:05.804 And I hope you will all join us. NOTE Paragraph 00:13:05.828 --> 00:13:06.978 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:13:07.002 --> 00:13:08.558 CF: So together we are a force. 00:13:08.582 --> 00:13:11.178 I think Wanjira really hits it right there on the head, 00:13:11.202 --> 00:13:13.205 because it's all about collaborating 00:13:13.229 --> 00:13:16.736 across a pretty broad spectrum of people. 00:13:16.760 --> 00:13:22.347 And happily, there are representatives from all of those groups here today. 00:13:22.673 --> 00:13:26.118 And we will be inviting you toward further engagement. 00:13:26.142 --> 00:13:30.360 But we wanted today to introduce you to a couple of those people 00:13:30.384 --> 00:13:32.789 speaking from their own perspective. 00:13:32.813 --> 00:13:36.365 So we would like to start with the voice of a politician. 00:13:36.749 --> 00:13:39.997 We are incredibly honored to have with us today 00:13:40.021 --> 00:13:42.505 the former prime minister of Bhutan, 00:13:42.529 --> 00:13:46.236 and I will have you know that Bhutan is the only country in the world 00:13:46.260 --> 00:13:49.959 that actually absorbs more carbon than what it emits. 00:13:50.284 --> 00:13:52.593 Our good friend Tshering Tobgay. NOTE Paragraph 00:13:52.617 --> 00:13:59.617 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:14:02.441 --> 00:14:07.613 Tshering Tobgay: My country is typical of the global south, 00:14:07.637 --> 00:14:12.299 in that we have not caused this climate-change crisis. 00:14:13.061 --> 00:14:16.053 Indeed, we are blessed 00:14:16.077 --> 00:14:19.403 with lush forests and many bountiful rivers. 00:14:19.427 --> 00:14:23.417 That have enabled my country, Bhutan, to remain carbon-negative. 00:14:24.069 --> 00:14:29.187 And yet, climate change threatens to destroy our forests. 00:14:29.966 --> 00:14:32.473 And to turn those very rivers 00:14:33.713 --> 00:14:36.347 into terrible dangers for our people, 00:14:36.371 --> 00:14:41.394 as the Himalayan glaciers melt and threaten both near-term flooding 00:14:42.109 --> 00:14:47.277 and the longer-term loss of our natural water reserves. 00:14:48.458 --> 00:14:52.903 So, I'm proud to join 00:14:52.927 --> 00:14:55.403 this Countdown initiative 00:14:55.427 --> 00:14:58.426 and work with all of you and with you, and with you, NOTE Paragraph 00:14:58.450 --> 00:14:59.609 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:14:59.633 --> 00:15:05.327 constructively, to find solutions that are both powerful and just. NOTE Paragraph 00:15:06.111 --> 00:15:07.268 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:15:07.292 --> 00:15:09.136 (Applause) 00:15:09.160 --> 00:15:10.395 CA: Thank you. 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:14.297 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:15:14.321 --> 00:15:16.853 CA: Business, of course, has a crucial role to play, 00:15:16.877 --> 00:15:21.734 and so do those who control the world's vast pools of investment capital. 00:15:21.758 --> 00:15:24.109 I was pleased to make the acquaintance recently 00:15:24.133 --> 00:15:25.943 of the chief investment officer 00:15:25.967 --> 00:15:30.585 of Japan's 1.6-trillion-dollar government pension fund. 00:15:30.609 --> 00:15:33.348 It's actually the world's largest pension fund. 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:37.064 He's willing and interested to come with us on this journey 00:15:37.088 --> 00:15:38.687 and to bring others with him. 00:15:38.711 --> 00:15:42.972 So, somewhere is, I believe, Hiro. 00:15:42.996 --> 00:15:44.155 Hiro Mizuno. 00:15:44.179 --> 00:15:46.179 And you're live. Welcome, Hiro. NOTE Paragraph 00:15:47.377 --> 00:15:48.680 (Video) Hiro Mizuno: Great. 00:15:48.704 --> 00:15:52.307 Thanks, Chris and Christiana and the staff of TED 00:15:52.331 --> 00:15:54.220 for making this possible. 00:15:54.244 --> 00:15:57.976 As a person in charge of the largest pension fund in the world, 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:03.595 and responsible for securing pension benefits for multiple generations, 00:16:03.619 --> 00:16:07.113 it is a hugely important issue, how to manage climate risk. 00:16:07.911 --> 00:16:10.355 We recently analyzed our global portfolio, 00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:12.998 how it's aligned with the Paris Agreement. 00:16:13.022 --> 00:16:14.411 It was diagnosed, 00:16:14.435 --> 00:16:18.092 our portfolio is on the path for more than three degrees. 00:16:18.116 --> 00:16:20.939 Far away from the Paris Agreement goals. 00:16:21.741 --> 00:16:24.328 Our portfolio is not only sizable, 00:16:24.352 --> 00:16:28.098 but also one of the most globally diversified portfolios. 00:16:28.122 --> 00:16:30.706 So that means, the world is on that path. 00:16:31.450 --> 00:16:34.347 I'm tired of hearing the same comment repeatedly 00:16:34.371 --> 00:16:39.061 from our portfolio companies and, obviously, investment professionals: 00:16:39.085 --> 00:16:40.352 "We are realistic." 00:16:41.196 --> 00:16:44.648 Sorry, but being "realistic" is no longer an option. 00:16:45.395 --> 00:16:50.394 We are fully aware of our responsibility as the world's largest asset owner 00:16:50.418 --> 00:16:53.141 to inspire changes in the capital market. 00:16:53.165 --> 00:16:57.768 We will be actively engaging with all actors in the capital market 00:16:57.792 --> 00:16:59.283 to move the needle. 00:16:59.887 --> 00:17:04.244 I look forward to participating in this crucial dialogue with you all. 00:17:04.268 --> 00:17:05.601 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:17:05.625 --> 00:17:07.664 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:17:07.688 --> 00:17:12.403 CF: I'm sure all of you know that throughout the past 12 to 18 months, 00:17:12.427 --> 00:17:16.641 what has really been new and powerful and exciting 00:17:16.665 --> 00:17:19.863 is the amazing voices of so many young people, 00:17:19.887 --> 00:17:22.867 millions of young people who are out there on the streets, 00:17:22.891 --> 00:17:24.763 with anger, with outrage, with despair, 00:17:24.787 --> 00:17:27.009 and also, asking us to do our thing. 00:17:28.002 --> 00:17:30.533 And they have been inspired by Greta Thunberg, 00:17:30.557 --> 00:17:33.995 but by so many other fantastic young people 00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:35.884 in almost every country of the world. 00:17:35.908 --> 00:17:40.577 And today, we are delighted to have four young activists 00:17:40.601 --> 00:17:42.663 come join us today. NOTE Paragraph 00:17:42.687 --> 00:17:45.647 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:17:45.671 --> 00:17:47.502 (Cheers) NOTE Paragraph 00:17:47.526 --> 00:17:54.526 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:17:55.959 --> 00:17:57.681 Alexandria Villaseñor: This Friday, 00:17:57.705 --> 00:18:00.181 I'll have been on climate strike for 52 weeks. 00:18:00.205 --> 00:18:01.879 That's an entire year. 00:18:02.435 --> 00:18:03.657 During that time, 00:18:03.681 --> 00:18:06.418 I found that many people don't know about climate change 00:18:06.442 --> 00:18:08.918 or how serious the climate crisis is. 00:18:08.942 --> 00:18:11.498 So I founded Earth Uprising International 00:18:11.522 --> 00:18:14.133 to teach young people about climate change, 00:18:14.157 --> 00:18:17.323 because when they know the science and the impacts, 00:18:17.347 --> 00:18:19.014 they want to take action. 00:18:19.498 --> 00:18:22.497 Being an activist means making change happen. NOTE Paragraph 00:18:23.077 --> 00:18:25.077 Jamie Margolin: I became a climate activist 00:18:25.101 --> 00:18:26.807 because my life depends on it. 00:18:26.831 --> 00:18:28.498 I'm applying to colleges right now, 00:18:28.522 --> 00:18:30.236 trying to plan for my future. 00:18:30.260 --> 00:18:32.188 There will be nothing to look forward to 00:18:32.212 --> 00:18:35.172 if we don't take urgent action to stop the climate crisis now. 00:18:35.803 --> 00:18:40.874 I started the youth climate justice movement called Zero Hour back in 2017, 00:18:40.898 --> 00:18:44.279 because this is zero hour to act on climate change. 00:18:44.303 --> 00:18:45.835 We have no more time. 00:18:45.859 --> 00:18:47.014 It became clear to me 00:18:47.038 --> 00:18:49.474 that our leaders were not going to take real action 00:18:49.498 --> 00:18:51.537 unless the people stood up and demanded it, 00:18:51.561 --> 00:18:53.815 so that's exactly what we did. NOTE Paragraph 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.211 Natalie Sweet: I became a climate-justice activist 00:18:56.235 --> 00:18:59.481 because if I don't fight for the rights of the people today, 00:18:59.505 --> 00:19:01.084 and for the people in the future, 00:19:01.108 --> 00:19:02.258 who will? NOTE Paragraph 00:19:02.282 --> 00:19:04.893 Xiye Bastida: I became a climate justice activist 00:19:04.917 --> 00:19:09.474 when I realized that the climate crisis impacts marginalized communities the most, 00:19:09.498 --> 00:19:11.617 including my town in Mexico. 00:19:11.641 --> 00:19:13.724 I strike with Fridays for Future 00:19:13.748 --> 00:19:14.909 every Friday, 00:19:14.933 --> 00:19:17.804 because our movement is not about gaining momentum, 00:19:17.828 --> 00:19:20.311 but about igniting cultural change. 00:19:20.335 --> 00:19:24.473 But the fact that thousands of students strike for climate 00:19:24.497 --> 00:19:27.172 means that we are already implementing climate justice 00:19:27.196 --> 00:19:29.418 into every aspect of our lives, 00:19:29.442 --> 00:19:31.726 which is already redefining the world. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:32.398 --> 00:19:34.168 JM: Over the course of our lifetimes, 00:19:34.192 --> 00:19:37.191 we've the Earth deteriorate at a rapid speed, 00:19:37.215 --> 00:19:39.618 and groups of people traumatized and displaced 00:19:39.642 --> 00:19:42.477 by an ever-increasing number of natural disasters. 00:19:42.905 --> 00:19:45.421 In 2030, I'll be 28 years old. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:46.001 --> 00:19:47.833 AV: I'll be 24 years old. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:48.152 --> 00:19:49.707 XB: I will be 27. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:50.103 --> 00:19:51.540 NS: I'll be 26. 00:19:51.564 --> 00:19:54.669 We want to be able to hand the planet over to our children 00:19:54.693 --> 00:19:56.224 and our children's children, 00:19:56.248 --> 00:19:58.724 just like many of you have been able to do. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:59.193 --> 00:20:01.097 AV: So unless everyone -- 00:20:01.121 --> 00:20:05.855 governments, companies, schools, scientists and citizens 00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:10.442 make a united commitment to reversing the damage that we've caused, 00:20:10.466 --> 00:20:12.466 it will be too late. NOTE Paragraph 00:20:13.644 --> 00:20:16.882 XB: We are not only asking you to take care of our future. 00:20:16.906 --> 00:20:19.844 We are also asking you to take care of our past. 00:20:20.183 --> 00:20:24.982 Indigenous people have been taking care of the Earth for thousands of years, 00:20:25.006 --> 00:20:28.291 which is why indigenous philosophy is crucial 00:20:28.315 --> 00:20:30.515 when implementing climate action. NOTE Paragraph 00:20:32.427 --> 00:20:36.053 JM: This climate crisis can feel like an impossible thing to fix. 00:20:36.077 --> 00:20:37.239 But it's not. 00:20:37.263 --> 00:20:38.415 And it can't be, 00:20:38.439 --> 00:20:40.363 because failure is simply not an option. 00:20:40.387 --> 00:20:42.412 Failure means losing everything we love 00:20:42.436 --> 00:20:44.315 and everything that matters. 00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:47.720 So many of us are already working to save the future of our world, 00:20:47.744 --> 00:20:50.712 but it can't just be on the next generation to fix. 00:20:50.736 --> 00:20:54.204 This is too much of a burden to just put on young people's shoulders. 00:20:54.982 --> 00:20:57.768 It is time for you to go all hands on deck 00:20:57.792 --> 00:21:02.434 and do everything within your power to save everything before it's too late. 00:21:02.800 --> 00:21:03.950 Are you with us? 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.682 Audience: Yes. NOTE Paragraph 00:21:05.706 --> 00:21:12.706 (Applause and cheers) NOTE Paragraph 00:21:12.730 --> 00:21:19.373 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:21:19.397 --> 00:21:21.299 CA: Thank you, thank you, thank you. 00:21:21.323 --> 00:21:22.477 And then, of course, 00:21:22.501 --> 00:21:26.371 there's a crucial role to be played by the world's storytellers, 00:21:26.395 --> 00:21:30.704 and those with influence on social media platforms. 00:21:30.728 --> 00:21:32.887 Each of the following has expressed excitement 00:21:32.911 --> 00:21:34.204 to be part of this project. 00:21:34.228 --> 00:21:36.141 They've lent us their names and support. 00:21:36.165 --> 00:21:37.728 We have some of them here today. 00:21:37.752 --> 00:21:39.885 Thank you so much for being here. 00:21:40.228 --> 00:21:42.649 And let's hear from one of them, actually. NOTE Paragraph 00:21:42.673 --> 00:21:44.355 Jimmy Kimmel: Hi, I'm Jimmy Kimmel, 00:21:44.379 --> 00:21:47.655 and I was asked to explain why I'm passionate about climate change. 00:21:47.679 --> 00:21:50.306 And the reason I'm passionate about climate change 00:21:50.330 --> 00:21:55.274 is the same reason people who are drowning are passionate about life guards. 00:21:55.298 --> 00:21:58.331 I care about this planet because I live on it. 00:21:58.355 --> 00:21:59.879 I don't want to move to Mars, 00:21:59.903 --> 00:22:01.196 Mars seems terrible. 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:04.744 I want my kids and their kids to be able to live on Earth, 00:22:04.768 --> 00:22:07.561 with air they can breathe and water they can drink. 00:22:07.585 --> 00:22:10.291 That's why I care about climate change. 00:22:10.315 --> 00:22:13.006 And also, I have a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. NOTE Paragraph 00:22:13.030 --> 00:22:15.752 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:22:15.776 --> 00:22:18.279 CF: So with all these people coming together, 00:22:18.303 --> 00:22:22.537 we have an opportunity to explore a new space of possibility 00:22:22.561 --> 00:22:25.672 for solutions based on working together, 00:22:25.696 --> 00:22:27.204 challenging each other 00:22:27.228 --> 00:22:29.124 and inspiring one another. 00:22:29.466 --> 00:22:31.490 So in October next year, 00:22:31.514 --> 00:22:35.149 we will be inviting more or less 1,000 people 00:22:35.173 --> 00:22:39.728 from different constituencies to meet in Bergen, Norway, 00:22:39.752 --> 00:22:44.886 to align on specific answers to our five big questions. NOTE Paragraph 00:22:45.395 --> 00:22:47.995 CA: It will certainly be an epic event. 00:22:48.482 --> 00:22:50.990 But even more significant than what happens in Norway 00:22:51.014 --> 00:22:53.855 is what happens elsewhere in the world. 00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:55.934 Because on the final day of that conference, 00:22:55.958 --> 00:23:00.577 we're planning a major activation of our global TEDx community. 00:23:01.315 --> 00:23:05.216 TEDx allows initiatives to organize local events, 00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:08.321 and there are now 4,000 such events annually. 00:23:08.345 --> 00:23:10.145 Here's what they look like. 00:23:12.550 --> 00:23:15.505 They take place in more than 200 different countries, 00:23:15.529 --> 00:23:18.339 generate more than a billion views annually on YouTube. 00:23:18.363 --> 00:23:21.006 We're expecting to see events in hundreds of cities. 00:23:21.030 --> 00:23:23.213 We'll be connecting our TEDx organizers 00:23:23.237 --> 00:23:27.791 with city mayors committed to a clean future for their cities. 00:23:27.815 --> 00:23:29.053 This is the key to this. 00:23:29.077 --> 00:23:31.100 It's this connection between the powerful, 00:23:31.124 --> 00:23:34.013 who usually own the conversation, 00:23:34.037 --> 00:23:35.973 and millions of people around the world, 00:23:35.997 --> 00:23:39.640 that because of the zeitgeist shift that's happened in the last year or two, 00:23:39.664 --> 00:23:42.077 suddenly, ignition can happen here, 00:23:42.101 --> 00:23:44.180 because there's enough critical groundswell. 00:23:44.204 --> 00:23:46.442 If we can give people visibility of each other, 00:23:46.466 --> 00:23:47.704 connection to each other, 00:23:47.728 --> 00:23:49.379 let's dream a little here, 00:23:49.403 --> 00:23:51.347 and give each other permission to dream. NOTE Paragraph 00:23:51.371 --> 00:23:54.529 CF: So our goal here is to build connections 00:23:54.553 --> 00:23:59.117 with and among all of the other organizations that are working on climate. 00:23:59.141 --> 00:24:00.292 For example, 00:24:00.316 --> 00:24:02.648 the Solutions Project is a wonderful initiative 00:24:02.672 --> 00:24:05.733 founded by Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle. 00:24:06.347 --> 00:24:10.212 And let's hear from some of the leaders that they have supported. NOTE Paragraph 00:24:10.236 --> 00:24:11.934 CA: Welcome, you're live. NOTE Paragraph 00:24:11.958 --> 00:24:12.989 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:24:13.013 --> 00:24:16.751 (Video) Wahleah Johns: Hi, my name is Wahleah Johns, 00:24:16.775 --> 00:24:18.498 I'm with Native Renewables, 00:24:18.522 --> 00:24:24.045 and we are working to provide solar power for tribes 00:24:24.069 --> 00:24:25.712 throughout the world. 00:24:25.736 --> 00:24:29.712 We have over 15,000 Native American families 00:24:29.736 --> 00:24:32.329 that don't have access to electricity, 00:24:32.353 --> 00:24:37.266 and we are working to provide solar plus battery storage for these families 00:24:37.290 --> 00:24:38.536 in the United States 00:24:38.560 --> 00:24:40.950 that don't have access to electricity. 00:24:40.974 --> 00:24:43.506 And they are located on my reservation, 00:24:43.530 --> 00:24:44.730 the Navajo Nation. NOTE Paragraph 00:24:45.411 --> 00:24:46.799 Anna Lappé: Hi, everyone, 00:24:46.823 --> 00:24:49.616 I am Anna Lappé, with Real Food Media, 00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:54.045 and we work to uplift the stories of farmers and ranchers 00:24:54.069 --> 00:24:56.942 as a key solution to the climate crisis. 00:24:56.966 --> 00:25:00.633 The global food system right now is a huge contributor to this crisis, 00:25:00.657 --> 00:25:02.156 but it doesn't have to be. 00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:03.831 Farmers and ranchers we really see 00:25:03.855 --> 00:25:07.235 as on the front lines of being part of solving the crisis. 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:11.873 So we try to share the stories of the millions of farmers 00:25:11.897 --> 00:25:15.230 from Andhra Pradesh, India to the highlands of Oaxaca 00:25:15.254 --> 00:25:20.768 that are using regenerative agriculture to build healthy, carbon-rich soil, 00:25:20.792 --> 00:25:21.983 grow good food 00:25:22.007 --> 00:25:26.108 and foster the kind of resilient communities that we need. NOTE Paragraph 00:25:27.736 --> 00:25:30.865 Rahwa Ghirmatzion: Hello from PUSH Buffalo -- my name is Rahwa -- 00:25:30.889 --> 00:25:34.966 where everyday residents are visioning, planning and designing 00:25:34.990 --> 00:25:38.093 an equitable, holistic and sacred neighborhood, 00:25:38.117 --> 00:25:41.538 like where I'm phoning in from, School 77, 00:25:41.562 --> 00:25:43.831 a renovated vacant school building 00:25:43.855 --> 00:25:48.673 that has the first 100 percent affordable community solar array 00:25:48.697 --> 00:25:49.895 in New York state 00:25:49.919 --> 00:25:51.807 installed by local residents. 00:25:51.831 --> 00:25:55.450 It's also serving 30 affordable senior apartments 00:25:55.474 --> 00:25:58.863 and a mix of intergenerational spaces 00:25:58.887 --> 00:26:00.847 that serves as a community hub, 00:26:00.871 --> 00:26:03.347 where we're practicing new economy strategies 00:26:03.371 --> 00:26:05.038 towards a livable planet. NOTE Paragraph 00:26:06.006 --> 00:26:07.157 CF: Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:26:07.181 --> 00:26:08.466 CA: Bravo. NOTE Paragraph 00:26:08.490 --> 00:26:11.269 (Applause) 00:26:11.293 --> 00:26:12.491 CA: She's so good. 00:26:12.515 --> 00:26:13.725 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:26:13.749 --> 00:26:15.648 CF: So you see, this is about everyone. 00:26:15.672 --> 00:26:16.826 It's about cities, 00:26:16.850 --> 00:26:19.074 it's about grassroots organizations, 00:26:19.098 --> 00:26:21.489 but it's also, of course, about business. 00:26:21.879 --> 00:26:24.545 And so we're inviting all companies -- 00:26:24.569 --> 00:26:26.268 underlined "all" -- 00:26:26.292 --> 00:26:27.918 to join this initiative, 00:26:27.942 --> 00:26:32.910 to engage with your employees on how you can best protect the planet 00:26:32.934 --> 00:26:35.714 and your future, at the same time. 00:26:36.188 --> 00:26:39.506 So, early next year, we'll be sharing a toolkit 00:26:39.530 --> 00:26:41.256 that can guide companies 00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:45.403 toward moving quickly towards science-based targets, 00:26:45.427 --> 00:26:49.863 which gets them then to net zero emissions 00:26:49.887 --> 00:26:52.594 by 2050 at the latest. NOTE Paragraph 00:26:53.307 --> 00:26:54.498 CA: So think about this, 00:26:54.522 --> 00:26:56.617 because as an individual, 00:26:56.641 --> 00:27:00.553 many individuals feel powerless on this issue. 00:27:00.577 --> 00:27:05.497 But if you were to team up with others in your company, 00:27:05.521 --> 00:27:08.187 you might be amazed at how much power you actually have. 00:27:08.211 --> 00:27:13.489 Almost all emissions come from a company somewhere on the planet. 00:27:13.513 --> 00:27:16.536 And the thing is, many CEOs today 00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:19.473 are actually eager to help solve the problem. 00:27:19.497 --> 00:27:24.172 We just heard this morning from Anand Mahindra, 00:27:24.196 --> 00:27:26.569 who heads India's biggest business group, 00:27:26.593 --> 00:27:28.799 that he is personally committed on this issue 00:27:28.823 --> 00:27:31.029 and wants to be part of this journey with us -- 00:27:31.053 --> 00:27:32.683 he's a supporter of Countdown. 00:27:33.434 --> 00:27:36.492 CEOs will be able to move much faster 00:27:36.516 --> 00:27:42.768 if there's a group of employees there to brainstorm with, to support them, 00:27:42.792 --> 00:27:47.501 to keep that sort of sense of urgency on the topic. 00:27:47.929 --> 00:27:51.691 Our website will help you connect with others in your company 00:27:51.715 --> 00:27:54.762 and give you guidance on smart questions to ask, 00:27:54.786 --> 00:27:56.723 initiatives to suggest, 00:27:56.747 --> 00:28:00.828 because if companies can be persuaded to do the right thing, 00:28:00.852 --> 00:28:04.794 suddenly, this problem seems to become solvable. NOTE Paragraph 00:28:05.533 --> 00:28:11.736 CF: So all of these efforts are building toward one fantastic day, Saturday, 00:28:11.760 --> 00:28:13.974 October 10, 2020 -- 00:28:13.998 --> 00:28:18.910 that is, "10.10.2020." -- easy to remember -- 00:28:18.934 --> 00:28:22.783 when this fantastic gathering will take place around the world. 00:28:23.284 --> 00:28:25.958 And we hope to have, by then, 00:28:25.982 --> 00:28:29.434 thrilling news of the report of the very specific solutions 00:28:29.458 --> 00:28:33.798 that nations, cities, companies, citizens, 00:28:33.822 --> 00:28:36.848 are actually already collaborating on by then. 00:28:37.326 --> 00:28:40.540 It's a day when every citizen of the planet 00:28:40.564 --> 00:28:42.625 is invited to participate. 00:28:42.649 --> 00:28:46.839 Your one ticket of entrance is you are a citizen of the planet. NOTE Paragraph 00:28:46.863 --> 00:28:51.873 CA: And key to the success of the event is for this to happen at scale. 00:28:51.897 --> 00:28:54.524 We want to make it easy for anyone and everyone 00:28:54.548 --> 00:28:57.880 to find out about the initiative and to play an active part in it. 00:28:57.904 --> 00:28:59.190 But how do you do that? 00:28:59.214 --> 00:29:01.283 You know, the world's a noisy place. 00:29:01.307 --> 00:29:03.950 I mean, the TED platform can help a bit, maybe, 00:29:03.974 --> 00:29:07.641 but there's a much bigger content platform out there. 00:29:07.665 --> 00:29:09.901 It's called YouTube. 00:29:10.249 --> 00:29:13.939 And we're delighted to be working with them on this endeavor. 00:29:13.963 --> 00:29:16.368 We'll be inviting many of their top creators 00:29:16.392 --> 00:29:18.600 to be part of Countdown. 00:29:19.257 --> 00:29:22.280 Collectively, they could reach an audience in the many millions. 00:29:22.304 --> 00:29:23.842 In fact, let's meet one of them, 00:29:23.866 --> 00:29:25.835 Dr. Joe Hanson of "Hot Mess," 00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:29.954 a new web series about the impact of climate change on all of us. NOTE Paragraph 00:29:31.284 --> 00:29:33.260 (Video) My name's Joe Hanson, 00:29:33.284 --> 00:29:34.637 and I am a YouTube educator. 00:29:34.661 --> 00:29:36.601 And you can count me in. 00:29:36.625 --> 00:29:40.111 I work with tomorrow's scientists, inventors and leaders, 00:29:40.135 --> 00:29:43.687 and they deserve to know the truth of what the science says 00:29:43.711 --> 00:29:47.804 so that they can help us invent a better future for everyone. NOTE Paragraph 00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:51.840 CA: Imagine that multiplied by many others -- 00:29:51.864 --> 00:29:53.889 it's very, very exciting, honestly. NOTE Paragraph 00:29:54.561 --> 00:29:57.609 CF: And of course, when it comes to spreading the word, 00:29:57.633 --> 00:30:01.594 every one of you in this room can actually play your part. 00:30:02.014 --> 00:30:05.517 So if you have any way of reaching anyone 00:30:05.541 --> 00:30:08.259 who is concerned about building a better future -- 00:30:08.283 --> 00:30:11.188 and that should be every single one of us -- 00:30:11.212 --> 00:30:14.149 please invite them to join Countdown. NOTE Paragraph 00:30:14.173 --> 00:30:16.125 CA: There's one more card up our sleeve. 00:30:16.149 --> 00:30:20.698 We're excited to unveil a global media campaign. 00:30:20.722 --> 00:30:22.761 This is a campaign with a difference. 00:30:22.785 --> 00:30:24.912 Just as TEDx exploded 00:30:24.936 --> 00:30:28.460 by being allowed to grow as a grassroots phenomenon, 00:30:28.484 --> 00:30:33.685 this campaign is designed to be co-opted everywhere on the planet. 00:30:34.421 --> 00:30:37.198 If you happen to own a billboard company, 00:30:37.222 --> 00:30:39.284 or a TV station, or a radio station, 00:30:39.308 --> 00:30:40.768 or a website 00:30:40.792 --> 00:30:43.942 or a social media account, 00:30:43.966 --> 00:30:47.253 we invite all of you to take the images you're about to see 00:30:47.277 --> 00:30:49.991 and to just spread them far and wide. 00:30:50.015 --> 00:30:52.285 Our website will make this easy. 00:30:52.309 --> 00:30:54.896 We actually plan to translate them into many languages, 00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:59.825 courtesy of our volunteer army of more than 20,000 translators worldwide. 00:30:59.849 --> 00:31:01.293 Some of them are with us here. 00:31:01.317 --> 00:31:04.250 If you're a TED translator, would you wave, please? NOTE Paragraph 00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.701 CF: Here we go. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:06.725 --> 00:31:08.863 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:31:08.887 --> 00:31:12.053 CA: Your work carries powerful ideas to every corner of the earth. 00:31:12.077 --> 00:31:14.315 We're so proud of you, so grateful to you. 00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:17.688 So this campaign's designed to grab attention 00:31:17.712 --> 00:31:20.847 and to communicate, yes, urgency, 00:31:20.871 --> 00:31:23.141 but also a little smidgen of hope. 00:31:23.165 --> 00:31:27.688 We think it might be that combination is what is needed to really drive action. 00:31:27.712 --> 00:31:31.768 We'd love you to let us know what you think of these. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:31.792 --> 00:31:32.947 CF: Right now. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:32.971 --> 00:31:34.293 [Choose your future] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:34.317 --> 00:31:37.500 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:31:37.524 --> 00:31:39.537 [Turn fear into action. Join the countdown] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:39.561 --> 00:31:42.728 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:31:43.090 --> 00:31:44.299 [Action inspires action.] 00:31:44.323 --> 00:31:46.577 [Join the countdown. The Earth will thank you.] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:46.601 --> 00:31:47.752 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:31:47.776 --> 00:31:50.307 [10.10.2020 Climate's Day of Destiny. You're invited.] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:50.331 --> 00:31:51.720 CF: Remember the date. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:51.744 --> 00:31:54.110 [Mass destruction. No biggie. (If we prevent it.)] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:54.134 --> 00:31:55.728 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:31:55.752 --> 00:31:59.021 [Giant asteroid heading our way. The common enemy that can unite us.] NOTE Paragraph 00:31:59.045 --> 00:32:01.674 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:04.695 [We love natural disasters anyway -- said no one ever.] 00:32:04.719 --> 00:32:06.180 [So why are we causing them?] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:06.204 --> 00:32:07.711 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:08.292 --> 00:32:10.799 [Relax, there's nothing you can do about the climate 00:32:10.823 --> 00:32:13.181 Unless you work for a company. Or live in a city. 00:32:13.205 --> 00:32:14.601 Or own a phone. Or a brain.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:14.625 --> 00:32:16.982 [Cause of death: apathy. But there's an antidote.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:17.006 --> 00:32:19.544 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:19.568 --> 00:32:20.983 [Stop f*cking everything up.] 00:32:21.007 --> 00:32:23.365 [Inaction on climate is obscene. We can fix this.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:23.389 --> 00:32:24.556 CA: Too much? NOTE Paragraph 00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:26.549 CF: No, not too much, yay, go for it. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:26.573 --> 00:32:27.754 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:27.778 --> 00:32:29.500 [Have you gotten any action lately? 00:32:29.524 --> 00:32:31.991 Here's your chance. Help turn the tide on climate.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:32.015 --> 00:32:33.197 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:33.221 --> 00:32:35.715 CA: I didn't like this one, but my team, you know -- NOTE Paragraph 00:32:35.739 --> 00:32:38.017 CF: Apparently, there are many who do like it. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:38.041 --> 00:32:40.334 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:40.358 --> 00:32:41.771 [We give up. Sincerely, TED. 00:32:41.795 --> 00:32:44.514 Spreading ideas isn't enough. It's time to act. Join us?] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:44.538 --> 00:32:46.800 CA: This is, unfortunately, truer than you know. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:46.824 --> 00:32:49.070 [Some things matter more than partisan politics. 00:32:49.094 --> 00:32:51.087 Some fight the enemy that can unite us.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:51.111 --> 00:32:52.168 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:32:52.192 --> 00:32:53.343 [Stop burnout. 00:32:53.367 --> 00:32:55.237 Your company can help save the earth.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:55.261 --> 00:32:57.380 [Give the planet more than you take from it. 00:32:57.404 --> 00:32:59.188 Join the countdown.] NOTE Paragraph 00:32:59.212 --> 00:33:00.559 [Despair, meet hope 00:33:00.583 --> 00:33:03.611 We can avoid climate catastrophe if we take urgent action now.] NOTE Paragraph 00:33:03.635 --> 00:33:04.786 CA: That's it. NOTE Paragraph 00:33:04.810 --> 00:33:07.852 (Applause and cheers) NOTE Paragraph 00:33:07.876 --> 00:33:09.359 CF: To bring this full circle, 00:33:09.383 --> 00:33:12.519 we would like to bring someone very special in. NOTE Paragraph 00:33:12.543 --> 00:33:14.209 (Video) Hi, I'm Claire O'Neill. 00:33:14.233 --> 00:33:18.712 I am the COP president-designate for next year's Conference of the Parties, 00:33:18.736 --> 00:33:21.633 the annual UN climate change talks which will be in the UK, 00:33:21.657 --> 00:33:23.958 and we're looking forward to welcoming you there. 00:33:23.982 --> 00:33:26.768 But right now, I'm in Spain, in Madrid, 00:33:26.792 --> 00:33:29.410 at COP25, this annual event 00:33:29.434 --> 00:33:32.688 where we send negotiators and activists from all over the world 00:33:32.712 --> 00:33:35.387 to see what we can do to reduce CO2 emissions. 00:33:35.411 --> 00:33:38.545 But the problem is this: emissions are going up, not down. 00:33:38.569 --> 00:33:41.609 And what I'm feeling is that 2020 is the year of action, 00:33:41.633 --> 00:33:43.443 the year where we have to top talking 00:33:43.467 --> 00:33:44.815 and we have to start acting. 00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:46.990 And not just here in these conference centers, 00:33:47.014 --> 00:33:48.165 but everybody. 00:33:48.189 --> 00:33:50.740 And so the value of the TED process, 00:33:50.764 --> 00:33:52.791 the value of what we're all doing together 00:33:52.815 --> 00:33:54.950 is that we're spreading out the conversations 00:33:54.974 --> 00:33:58.268 and the solutions from inside this space 00:33:58.292 --> 00:33:59.688 out to everybody. 00:33:59.712 --> 00:34:02.529 And I'm really looking forward to working with the TED group 00:34:02.553 --> 00:34:03.744 over the next year. 00:34:03.768 --> 00:34:06.824 2020, for me, will be the most important year for climate action, 00:34:06.848 --> 00:34:09.602 and we're all going to deliver this together. NOTE Paragraph 00:34:09.626 --> 00:34:12.277 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:34:12.301 --> 00:34:14.248 CF: OK, friends, so we're nearly there, 00:34:14.272 --> 00:34:17.688 but just a few more very special snippets. 00:34:17.712 --> 00:34:22.140 First, a word from one of the many great minds 00:34:22.164 --> 00:34:25.125 who will be accompanying us on this journey. 00:34:25.149 --> 00:34:29.688 A message from the great author, historian and futurist 00:34:29.712 --> 00:34:30.862 Yuval Harari. NOTE Paragraph 00:34:31.927 --> 00:34:34.721 Climate change is about inequality. 00:34:34.745 --> 00:34:38.768 Inequality between the rich, who are mainly responsible for it, 00:34:38.792 --> 00:34:41.392 and the poor, who will suffer the most. 00:34:41.792 --> 00:34:44.562 Inequality between us, Homo sapiens, 00:34:44.586 --> 00:34:46.180 who control this planet, 00:34:46.204 --> 00:34:49.622 and the other animals, who are our helpless victims. 00:34:50.355 --> 00:34:52.760 Inequality between the scientists, 00:34:52.784 --> 00:34:55.776 who painstakingly search for the truth, 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:57.815 and the professional deceivers, 00:34:57.839 --> 00:35:00.805 who spread falsehoods at the click of a button. 00:35:01.950 --> 00:35:04.776 Climate change is about making a choice. 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:07.831 What kind of planet do we want to inhabit, 00:35:07.855 --> 00:35:10.588 and what kind of humans do we want to be? 00:35:11.371 --> 00:35:14.679 A choice between greed and compassion, 00:35:14.703 --> 00:35:17.774 between carelessness and responsibility, 00:35:17.798 --> 00:35:20.814 between closing our eyes to the truth 00:35:20.838 --> 00:35:23.742 and opening our hearts to the world. 00:35:24.696 --> 00:35:26.807 Climate change is a crisis, 00:35:26.831 --> 00:35:31.299 but for humans, a crisis is always also an opportunity. 00:35:31.744 --> 00:35:35.228 If we make the right choices in the coming years, 00:35:35.252 --> 00:35:38.188 we cannot only save the ecosystem, 00:35:38.212 --> 00:35:41.760 but we can also create a more just world 00:35:41.784 --> 00:35:44.226 and make ourselves better people. NOTE Paragraph 00:35:46.228 --> 00:35:53.022 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:35:53.046 --> 00:35:56.300 CF: So, isn't that a powerful framing of what we have ahead of us, 00:35:56.324 --> 00:35:59.806 and honestly, I think it is tragic 00:35:59.830 --> 00:36:03.545 that the power of transformation that we have ahead of us 00:36:03.569 --> 00:36:08.136 is so severely diminished by those who would want to politicize the issue 00:36:08.160 --> 00:36:11.525 and separate it into partisan politics. 00:36:11.549 --> 00:36:14.168 It cannot be a partisan issue, 00:36:14.192 --> 00:36:16.392 it cannot be a politicized issue. 00:36:16.768 --> 00:36:19.561 Happily, there are some who are working against that. 00:36:19.585 --> 00:36:22.434 Today, we have one of those people, 00:36:22.458 --> 00:36:25.768 a fantastically courageous climate scientist 00:36:25.792 --> 00:36:27.728 who is a committed Christian, 00:36:27.752 --> 00:36:29.594 and who has been working on this issue 00:36:29.618 --> 00:36:33.944 with conservatives and with the religious and spiritual communities for years, 00:36:33.968 --> 00:36:36.142 with incredible courage. 00:36:36.572 --> 00:36:37.722 Katharine Hayhoe. NOTE Paragraph 00:36:38.437 --> 00:36:40.524 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:36:40.548 --> 00:36:43.790 Katherine Hayhoe: When someone says climate change, we often think, 00:36:43.814 --> 00:36:45.764 "Oh, that's just an environmental issue. 00:36:45.788 --> 00:36:48.431 People who are tree huggers or scientists care about it, 00:36:48.455 --> 00:36:51.897 or maybe people who are on the left hand-side of the political spectrum." 00:36:51.921 --> 00:36:54.084 But the reality is, whether we know it or not, 00:36:54.108 --> 00:36:57.347 we already care about climate change, no matter who we are. 00:36:57.371 --> 00:36:58.539 Why? 00:36:58.563 --> 00:37:02.117 Because climate change affects everything we already care about today. 00:37:02.141 --> 00:37:03.553 It affects our health, 00:37:03.577 --> 00:37:05.307 it affects the food we eat, 00:37:05.331 --> 00:37:08.077 the water we drink, the air that we breathe. 00:37:08.101 --> 00:37:11.403 Climate change affects the economy and national security. 00:37:11.427 --> 00:37:15.339 I care about a changing climate because it is, as the military calls it, 00:37:15.363 --> 00:37:16.902 a threat multiplier. 00:37:17.331 --> 00:37:19.926 It takes issues like poverty and hunger, 00:37:19.950 --> 00:37:22.403 disease, lack of access to clean water, 00:37:22.427 --> 00:37:24.260 even political instability, 00:37:24.284 --> 00:37:26.550 and exacerbates or amplifies them. 00:37:27.069 --> 00:37:29.172 That's why, to care about a changing climate, 00:37:29.196 --> 00:37:31.307 we don't have to be a certain type of person. 00:37:31.331 --> 00:37:33.633 A thermometer isn't blue or red, 00:37:33.657 --> 00:37:35.229 liberal or conservative -- 00:37:35.253 --> 00:37:38.156 it gives us the same number no matter how we vote. 00:37:38.180 --> 00:37:41.577 And we are all affected by the impacts of a changing climate. 00:37:41.601 --> 00:37:43.410 So to care about a changing climate, 00:37:43.434 --> 00:37:45.196 all we have to be is one thing: 00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:47.276 a human, living on planet Earth. 00:37:47.300 --> 00:37:48.958 And we're all that. NOTE Paragraph 00:37:49.831 --> 00:37:52.807 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:37:52.831 --> 00:37:53.982 CF: And finally, 00:37:54.006 --> 00:37:58.720 the man who brought this issue so powerfully to everyone's attention 00:37:58.744 --> 00:38:00.228 years ago, 00:38:00.252 --> 00:38:05.367 and has continued tirelessly to work on that issue ever since. 00:38:05.391 --> 00:38:08.516 The one and very only Al Gore. NOTE Paragraph 00:38:08.907 --> 00:38:12.278 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:38:12.302 --> 00:38:13.608 (Video) Al Gore: Thank you. 00:38:13.632 --> 00:38:14.955 (Applause) 00:38:14.979 --> 00:38:16.434 Thank you so much, Christiana, 00:38:16.458 --> 00:38:19.163 and thank you for your outstanding leadership, 00:38:19.187 --> 00:38:23.042 and thank you, Chris Anderson and the entire TED community, 00:38:23.066 --> 00:38:26.669 YouTube and all of the others who are joining 00:38:26.693 --> 00:38:28.843 in this fantastic initiative. 00:38:29.479 --> 00:38:31.244 I have just three messages. 00:38:31.268 --> 00:38:34.883 Number one, this crisis is incredibly urgent. 00:38:35.495 --> 00:38:38.819 Just yesterday, the scientists gave us the report 00:38:38.843 --> 00:38:41.573 that emissions are still going up. 00:38:41.597 --> 00:38:42.883 Every single day, 00:38:42.907 --> 00:38:48.765 we're putting 150 million tons of man-made global warming pollution 00:38:48.789 --> 00:38:52.281 into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet. 00:38:52.305 --> 00:38:56.688 The accumulated amount now traps as much extra energy every day 00:38:56.712 --> 00:39:01.928 as would be released by 500,000 first-generation atomic bombs 00:39:01.952 --> 00:39:04.217 exploding every single day. 00:39:04.543 --> 00:39:07.805 And the consequences are increasingly clear -- 00:39:07.829 --> 00:39:10.752 all that mother nature is telling us, 00:39:10.776 --> 00:39:12.569 the fires, and the sea-level rise, 00:39:12.593 --> 00:39:14.696 and the floods, and the mud slides 00:39:14.720 --> 00:39:16.672 and the loss of living species. 00:39:16.696 --> 00:39:21.535 But the second message that I have is the hope is very real. 00:39:21.559 --> 00:39:25.615 We actually do have the solutions available to us. 00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:28.656 It is unfortunately true, at this moment, 00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:34.536 that the crisis is getting worse faster than we are mobilizing these solutions. 00:39:34.560 --> 00:39:36.656 But renewable energy and electric vehicles 00:39:36.680 --> 00:39:38.958 and batteries and regenerative agriculture, 00:39:38.982 --> 00:39:40.768 circular manufacturing, 00:39:40.792 --> 00:39:44.749 and all of these other solutions are gaining momentum. 00:39:45.162 --> 00:39:46.908 The late economist Rudi Dornbusch, 00:39:46.932 --> 00:39:50.702 in articulating what's known as Dornbusch's law, said, 00:39:50.726 --> 00:39:54.210 "Things take longer to happen than you think they will. 00:39:54.234 --> 00:39:57.490 But then, they happen much faster than you thought they could." 00:39:57.919 --> 00:40:00.316 We can pick up the pace. 00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:02.086 We are gaining momentum 00:40:02.110 --> 00:40:04.895 and soon, we will be gaining on the crisis. 00:40:04.919 --> 00:40:07.936 But it is essential that everyone join, 00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:10.149 of every political persuasion, 00:40:10.173 --> 00:40:12.387 every ideological persuasion, 00:40:12.411 --> 00:40:13.654 every nationality, 00:40:13.678 --> 00:40:18.403 every division has to be obliterated so that we, humanity, 00:40:18.427 --> 00:40:20.442 can join together. 00:40:20.466 --> 00:40:24.601 And in closing, I would just say that for anyone who doubts 00:40:24.625 --> 00:40:27.372 that we as human beings 00:40:27.396 --> 00:40:31.173 have the ability to rise to this occasion, 00:40:31.197 --> 00:40:33.299 when everything is on the line, 00:40:33.323 --> 00:40:37.982 just remember that political will is itself a renewable resource. 00:40:38.885 --> 00:40:39.886 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:40:39.910 --> 00:40:46.910 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:40:50.554 --> 00:40:51.752 CA: Thank you so much, 00:40:51.776 --> 00:40:54.418 thank you so much, Al, for your leadership on this issue 00:40:54.442 --> 00:40:55.642 for so many years. 00:40:56.617 --> 00:40:58.409 None of this would be possible 00:40:58.433 --> 00:41:02.156 without an extraordinary and fast-growing list of partners. 00:41:02.180 --> 00:41:04.047 I'd like to acknowledge them. NOTE Paragraph 00:41:04.791 --> 00:41:08.888 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:41:08.912 --> 00:41:10.110 If you're watching this, 00:41:10.134 --> 00:41:12.825 you believe your organization should be part of this, 00:41:12.849 --> 00:41:14.539 you can help in some way, 00:41:14.563 --> 00:41:17.015 join us, email me, chris@ted.com. 00:41:17.434 --> 00:41:19.505 This is going to take everyone. NOTE Paragraph 00:41:19.887 --> 00:41:21.807 OK, before the Q and A, 00:41:21.831 --> 00:41:25.164 I just want to ask you a question personally, Christiana. 00:41:25.188 --> 00:41:27.082 Like, what do you really think? 00:41:27.554 --> 00:41:28.577 (Laughter) 00:41:28.601 --> 00:41:31.545 No, you've been in so many of these. 00:41:31.569 --> 00:41:33.903 Does this initiative have a chance? NOTE Paragraph 00:41:35.394 --> 00:41:38.037 CF: Well, first of all, 00:41:38.061 --> 00:41:41.584 we are at the point where everything plays. 00:41:41.608 --> 00:41:43.410 Everything plays. 00:41:43.434 --> 00:41:46.045 And I'm really excited about this 00:41:46.069 --> 00:41:51.727 because it has been very painful to me to see how over the past 12 to 18 months, 00:41:51.751 --> 00:41:55.100 because of the tragically insufficient response 00:41:55.124 --> 00:41:56.879 that we have had to climate change, 00:41:56.903 --> 00:42:00.188 how that zeitgeist has been changing from where we were in Paris, 00:42:00.212 --> 00:42:02.498 which was pretty positive and optimistic, 00:42:02.522 --> 00:42:06.070 to, now, despair, helplessness, anger. 00:42:06.602 --> 00:42:08.896 That's what is out there, roaming on the streets. 00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:11.397 And I don't blame them, and I have the same feelings. 00:42:11.421 --> 00:42:12.657 But the point is 00:42:12.681 --> 00:42:17.376 we have to be able to transform that into making the difference. 00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:22.368 And I think this is what this initiative is actually potentially ready to do, 00:42:22.392 --> 00:42:26.672 which is to give every single person who feels helpless -- 00:42:26.696 --> 00:42:29.482 give them a tool to do something. 00:42:29.506 --> 00:42:31.808 Some will contribute small efforts, 00:42:31.832 --> 00:42:33.614 some will contribute large efforts -- 00:42:33.638 --> 00:42:37.084 depends on what your influence area is. 00:42:37.108 --> 00:42:42.514 And to those who feel angry and despairing, 00:42:42.538 --> 00:42:47.347 well, give them also an opportunity to channel that energy -- 00:42:47.371 --> 00:42:49.197 which is very powerful energy -- 00:42:49.221 --> 00:42:51.450 into solutions. 00:42:51.815 --> 00:42:54.855 And finally, what is very exciting about this 00:42:54.879 --> 00:42:56.918 is the scale, Chris, right? 00:42:56.942 --> 00:43:00.783 I mean, just look at those partners that are going to be there. 00:43:00.807 --> 00:43:04.175 We have attempted many, many things to bring to scale. 00:43:04.199 --> 00:43:09.206 But this, I think, is the most promising initiative that I have seen, 00:43:09.230 --> 00:43:11.437 to be able to bring people to scale, 00:43:11.461 --> 00:43:13.855 to bring efforts and solutions to scale. 00:43:13.879 --> 00:43:15.553 And speed. 00:43:15.577 --> 00:43:20.474 Because if there's one thing that we cannot, cannot fail on, 00:43:20.498 --> 00:43:21.998 is addressing climate change, 00:43:22.022 --> 00:43:23.180 but not only that, 00:43:23.204 --> 00:43:24.871 to do so in a timely way. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:25.625 --> 00:43:27.815 CA: Thank you, that is eloquent. 00:43:27.839 --> 00:43:28.998 And thank you. 00:43:29.022 --> 00:43:30.175 That's it. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:37.199 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:43:37.561 --> 00:43:43.442 OK, we have many members of the world's leading media here. 00:43:43.466 --> 00:43:44.911 We're going to have a Q and A, 00:43:44.935 --> 00:43:47.236 they should probably have priority on questions. 00:43:47.260 --> 00:43:50.275 If it all goes deathly silent, someone else can ask a question. 00:43:50.299 --> 00:43:52.556 If you're a member of the media here, 00:43:52.580 --> 00:43:56.114 please feel free to put your hand up -- we'll throw a mic to you, 00:43:56.138 --> 00:43:58.072 and we'll do the best we can. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:59.022 --> 00:44:01.053 Rachel Crane: Hi, Rachel Crane from CNN. 00:44:01.363 --> 00:44:04.379 My question for you is about more specific action 00:44:04.403 --> 00:44:05.966 that will come out of Countdown. 00:44:05.990 --> 00:44:07.141 We heard a lot today 00:44:07.165 --> 00:44:09.657 about how this is mobilizing the globe on this issue, 00:44:09.681 --> 00:44:12.775 breaking people out of their silos, companies out of their silos, 00:44:12.799 --> 00:44:15.070 but I'm curious to know, paint a picture for us, 00:44:15.094 --> 00:44:18.419 of what the action that will come out of this initiative 00:44:18.443 --> 00:44:19.785 could potentially look like. 00:44:19.809 --> 00:44:21.594 I'm sure it's all in early phases, 00:44:21.618 --> 00:44:23.689 we won't hold you specifically to this. NOTE Paragraph 00:44:23.713 --> 00:44:27.830 CA: There's an intense process going on between now and October, 00:44:27.854 --> 00:44:29.227 where we're trying to engage 00:44:29.251 --> 00:44:32.727 all of the world's best thinking on climate 00:44:32.751 --> 00:44:34.640 around those five big areas. 00:44:34.664 --> 00:44:38.057 What we're hoping to have there is multiple proposals in there 00:44:38.081 --> 00:44:42.725 that collectively take a huge bite out of those issues. 00:44:42.749 --> 00:44:46.424 Some of them, they may be one big one that dominates. 00:44:46.448 --> 00:44:48.606 You know, so transport, for example. 00:44:49.455 --> 00:44:51.607 Could we accelerate the end 00:44:51.631 --> 00:44:53.723 of the internal combustion engine, somehow? 00:44:53.747 --> 00:44:54.932 What would that take? 00:44:54.956 --> 00:44:57.603 That would be a classic problem made for this approach, 00:44:57.627 --> 00:45:00.524 because what governments decide right now 00:45:00.548 --> 00:45:03.869 depends on what they see happening elsewhere. 00:45:04.259 --> 00:45:06.727 Would the decisions of auto executives be shifted 00:45:06.751 --> 00:45:09.588 if they saw millions of people on social media saying, 00:45:09.612 --> 00:45:11.639 "I will never buy a combustion engine"? 00:45:11.663 --> 00:45:15.361 Would they be shifted by the market signal of a few hundred mayors, saying, 00:45:15.385 --> 00:45:19.488 "We are creating a carbon-zero zone in our city 00:45:19.512 --> 00:45:21.306 and we're going to expand it, 00:45:21.330 --> 00:45:22.641 and we're doing that soon"? 00:45:22.665 --> 00:45:26.657 Would they be shifter by a visionary auto CEO taking the risk 00:45:26.681 --> 00:45:28.070 and going forward and saying, 00:45:28.094 --> 00:45:31.115 "You know when we said we were going to continue this till 2050? 00:45:31.139 --> 00:45:33.003 No. We can see the writing on the wall, 00:45:33.027 --> 00:45:35.075 we want to be on the right side of history, 00:45:35.099 --> 00:45:36.352 we're doing this in 2030." 00:45:36.376 --> 00:45:38.423 We think there might be a pathway to that. 00:45:38.447 --> 00:45:39.783 So on some of these issues, 00:45:39.807 --> 00:45:44.847 it's going to depend on a massive amount of discussion, bringing people together, 00:45:44.871 --> 00:45:48.396 showing -- this is what you're so masterful at -- 00:45:48.420 --> 00:45:50.918 is showing that other people don't have the attitudes 00:45:50.942 --> 00:45:52.244 that you think they have. 00:45:52.268 --> 00:45:54.323 They're actually shifting, you better shift. 00:45:54.347 --> 00:45:58.474 And so it's mutually raising everyone's ambition level. 00:45:58.863 --> 00:46:01.315 And that is a cycle that happens, 00:46:01.339 --> 00:46:03.125 and we've already seen it happening. 00:46:03.149 --> 00:46:06.141 And so, on each of these issues, that's what we're looking for. 00:46:06.165 --> 00:46:07.783 The biggest, boldest things. 00:46:07.807 --> 00:46:09.696 Dream bigger than we normally do, 00:46:09.720 --> 00:46:13.402 because there are more people at the table than there normally are, 00:46:13.426 --> 00:46:16.506 i.e. millions of citizens engaged in this. 00:46:16.530 --> 00:46:19.117 That's the process, and while that is happening, 00:46:19.141 --> 00:46:23.061 there'll be multiple other engagements in companies and cities around the world. 00:46:23.085 --> 00:46:27.109 We hope that it all comes together in a thrilling manner in October 00:46:27.133 --> 00:46:28.812 and we have something to celebrate. NOTE Paragraph 00:46:28.836 --> 00:46:31.273 Dominique Drakeford: My name is Dominique Drakeford 00:46:31.297 --> 00:46:35.267 with MelaninASS, or social media as a form of media. 00:46:36.836 --> 00:46:39.823 In understanding and hearing the correlation 00:46:39.847 --> 00:46:45.085 between the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere 00:46:45.109 --> 00:46:47.675 and the cumulative exploitation 00:46:47.699 --> 00:46:52.458 and extractivism economy, 00:46:52.482 --> 00:46:56.736 which creates sacrifice zones for black and indigenous communities, 00:46:56.760 --> 00:46:59.029 how do we plan to, 00:46:59.053 --> 00:47:04.609 or how do you guys plan to mitigate those systems of oppression 00:47:04.633 --> 00:47:09.710 as part of your strategies within those five various components 00:47:09.734 --> 00:47:13.131 so that we can really begin to reduce emissions? NOTE Paragraph 00:47:13.829 --> 00:47:16.586 CF: If the transformation in our economy and our society 00:47:16.610 --> 00:47:22.251 does not include inequality closing and social justice issues, 00:47:22.275 --> 00:47:24.091 then we're doing nothing. 00:47:24.115 --> 00:47:26.663 Because all of those things will come back to bite us. 00:47:26.687 --> 00:47:30.251 So we have to put our arms around the entire package. 00:47:30.275 --> 00:47:32.537 That is not easy, but it is entirely possible. 00:47:32.561 --> 00:47:35.926 And that's one of the things that I am so excited about climate change, 00:47:35.950 --> 00:47:40.029 because it is at the front of this transformation, 00:47:40.053 --> 00:47:43.855 but it will bring many of the other issues 00:47:43.879 --> 00:47:49.947 that have been relegated to nonattention. 00:47:49.971 --> 00:47:52.249 It will bring those issues to the fore as well. 00:47:52.273 --> 00:47:56.670 So the transformation has to be an integrative transformation. NOTE Paragraph 00:47:56.694 --> 00:47:58.617 Ellen Maloney: Hi, Chris, Hi, Christina, 00:47:58.641 --> 00:48:01.363 my question is, are individual efforts, 00:48:01.387 --> 00:48:05.688 like ditching plastic straws or going vegan, 00:48:05.712 --> 00:48:06.966 making a difference 00:48:06.990 --> 00:48:10.149 or are they just tokenistic drops in the ocean? NOTE Paragraph 00:48:10.173 --> 00:48:11.355 CF: Good question. NOTE Paragraph 00:48:11.379 --> 00:48:12.807 CA: It's a good question. NOTE Paragraph 00:48:12.831 --> 00:48:15.149 CF: They are totally important. 00:48:15.173 --> 00:48:16.697 Absolutely important. 00:48:16.721 --> 00:48:19.951 Because it's not just about the one straw that I use. 00:48:19.975 --> 00:48:22.547 It's about me not using that straw, 00:48:22.571 --> 00:48:24.800 going to a restaurant and telling the waitress, 00:48:24.824 --> 00:48:27.371 "Excuse me, I don't want a plastic straw, because --" 00:48:27.395 --> 00:48:28.918 and giving her a little lesson, 00:48:28.942 --> 00:48:32.432 then she goes up to the manager, the manager comes to the table and says, 00:48:32.456 --> 00:48:34.551 "Excuse me, could you explain that to me?" 00:48:34.575 --> 00:48:36.088 Then you go through the lesson. 00:48:36.112 --> 00:48:37.401 And sooner than you think, 00:48:37.425 --> 00:48:39.668 you have that restaurant, plus the other ones. 00:48:39.692 --> 00:48:42.266 Actually, information is contagious. 00:48:42.736 --> 00:48:46.395 And wanting to do the right thing is also contagious. 00:48:46.419 --> 00:48:50.442 So don't look at it as just simply, you know, "What is a straw? 00:48:50.466 --> 00:48:56.018 Am I using this straw or am I not using plastic bags, 00:48:56.042 --> 00:49:02.900 I have my plant-based bags to go shopping," etc, etc. 00:49:03.575 --> 00:49:05.220 All of that counts. 00:49:05.244 --> 00:49:06.956 It counts for you, first of all, 00:49:06.980 --> 00:49:12.054 because it is a personal reminder of who you are and what you stand for, 00:49:12.078 --> 00:49:16.110 but it is also a very important tool 00:49:16.134 --> 00:49:18.403 to educate everyone around you. NOTE Paragraph 00:49:18.721 --> 00:49:21.261 CA: Right, and I think the core of our initiative is, 00:49:21.285 --> 00:49:23.432 all that stuff matters -- what you eat, 00:49:23.456 --> 00:49:25.861 how you transport yourself, it matters a lot. 00:49:25.885 --> 00:49:29.817 But there is another piece of power that individuals have 00:49:29.841 --> 00:49:33.291 that they don't think about as much, perhaps, 00:49:33.315 --> 00:49:35.895 and that we think that they should, we invite them to, 00:49:35.919 --> 00:49:38.061 which is what they can do as an employee, 00:49:38.085 --> 00:49:40.101 and what they can do as a member of a city. 00:49:40.125 --> 00:49:41.847 There's a coming together here, 00:49:41.871 --> 00:49:44.871 where by getting organized, by connecting with others, 00:49:44.895 --> 00:49:48.543 we think there is a direct route to changing decisions 00:49:48.567 --> 00:49:51.737 that will have an even bigger impact on the problem. 00:49:51.761 --> 00:49:55.367 So it's yes, all of that, but more as well. 00:49:55.391 --> 00:49:56.574 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 00:49:56.598 --> 00:50:00.899 CF: There is an online [question], from a classroom of children. NOTE Paragraph 00:50:00.923 --> 00:50:02.552 CA: From a classroom of children? NOTE Paragraph 00:50:02.576 --> 00:50:03.907 CF: "What can students do?" 00:50:03.931 --> 00:50:06.712 Yay, I love that question, totally love that question. 00:50:06.736 --> 00:50:08.426 So first of all, 00:50:08.450 --> 00:50:10.584 Fridays, 11 o'clock, go strike. 00:50:11.668 --> 00:50:13.291 I mean, honestly, right? NOTE Paragraph 00:50:13.315 --> 00:50:14.680 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:50:14.704 --> 00:50:16.061 Let's go, let's go. 00:50:16.085 --> 00:50:18.649 And that pressure has to be maintained. 00:50:18.673 --> 00:50:21.196 I'm totally delighted that there's some people here 00:50:21.220 --> 00:50:24.109 who have been here doing it for 52 weeks. 00:50:24.133 --> 00:50:25.888 The problem with this is, folks, 00:50:25.912 --> 00:50:28.626 this is not a sprint, it's a marathon. 00:50:28.650 --> 00:50:32.856 So you better get ready for many more 52 weeks, right? 00:50:32.880 --> 00:50:34.411 And get more people involved, 00:50:34.435 --> 00:50:36.649 because this is not easy. 00:50:36.673 --> 00:50:38.553 If it were easy, we would have done it. 00:50:38.577 --> 00:50:40.903 This is going to be a long-term effort. 00:50:40.927 --> 00:50:43.561 But fantastic to be out there in the streets, 00:50:43.585 --> 00:50:46.125 you are getting so much more attention from the media, 00:50:46.149 --> 00:50:49.244 from us stupid adults who have not done our job -- 00:50:49.268 --> 00:50:50.418 it is fantastic. 00:50:50.442 --> 00:50:52.799 So, you know, get your voices out there. NOTE Paragraph 00:50:52.823 --> 00:50:54.434 Also, in school, 00:50:54.458 --> 00:50:57.712 you can definitely go and improve -- 00:50:57.736 --> 00:50:59.926 the question that you just asked to TED, 00:50:59.950 --> 00:51:02.974 that's the question every student should be asking their school: 00:51:02.998 --> 00:51:04.590 "Where's my energy coming from?" 00:51:04.614 --> 00:51:05.851 Let's get with it, right? 00:51:05.875 --> 00:51:07.277 Students in colleges -- 00:51:07.301 --> 00:51:10.304 how is it possible that we still have colleges and universities 00:51:10.328 --> 00:51:13.493 that are not 100 percent clean energy 00:51:13.517 --> 00:51:17.581 and that haven't shifted their capital and their endowment 00:51:17.605 --> 00:51:19.629 over to low carbon? 00:51:19.653 --> 00:51:21.156 I mean, it's just incredible. NOTE Paragraph 00:51:21.180 --> 00:51:23.101 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:51:23.125 --> 00:51:27.363 And finally, the most important thing that young people can do 00:51:27.387 --> 00:51:30.117 is ask your parents, 00:51:30.141 --> 00:51:32.882 "What the hell are you doing about my future?" 00:51:33.300 --> 00:51:36.480 Because here is an amazing thing. 00:51:37.241 --> 00:51:39.725 I have spoken in -- I was thinking how many -- 00:51:39.749 --> 00:51:45.185 I've spoken to at least three if not four CEOs from the oil and gas industry. 00:51:45.209 --> 00:51:49.543 I've spoken to three or four major investors, 00:51:49.567 --> 00:51:51.670 heads of their investment firms, 00:51:51.694 --> 00:51:54.932 who come up to me, usually in private, 00:51:54.956 --> 00:52:00.655 and say, "Christiana, the reason why I'm changing what I do in my business 00:52:00.679 --> 00:52:03.949 is because my daughter, or my son, 00:52:03.973 --> 00:52:09.298 asks me at night, 'What the hell are you doing about my future?' " 00:52:10.209 --> 00:52:13.122 That is a very powerful question, 00:52:13.146 --> 00:52:16.066 and only young people can ask that question. 00:52:16.090 --> 00:52:18.353 Use that tool -- 00:52:18.377 --> 00:52:22.117 ask your parents what are they doing about your future. 00:52:22.141 --> 00:52:23.674 Sorry about the h-word. NOTE Paragraph 00:52:24.322 --> 00:52:31.083 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:52:31.107 --> 00:52:33.440 Jo Confino: Hi, I'm Jo Confino, the HuffPost. 00:52:33.464 --> 00:52:35.583 Christiana, a question for you, 00:52:35.607 --> 00:52:38.794 which is one of the things that didn't come out so much 00:52:38.818 --> 00:52:41.283 and this is about the spiritual traditions 00:52:41.307 --> 00:52:43.585 and the role they play, 00:52:43.609 --> 00:52:45.216 because what we're seeing 00:52:45.240 --> 00:52:47.539 is that, actually, old wisdom is coming out 00:52:47.563 --> 00:52:49.082 in terms of interdependence 00:52:49.106 --> 00:52:51.119 and nothing is separate from anything else. 00:52:51.143 --> 00:52:53.651 What is the spiritual tradition we can bring to this 00:52:53.675 --> 00:52:55.393 that will make, also, a difference? NOTE Paragraph 00:52:55.417 --> 00:52:58.731 CF: What I think is very powerful about understanding, 00:52:58.755 --> 00:53:02.291 whether you happen to be a spiritual person 00:53:02.315 --> 00:53:06.107 that pursues meditation and mindfulness 00:53:06.131 --> 00:53:08.670 or whether you're a religious person or not, 00:53:08.694 --> 00:53:10.773 what I think is very powerful 00:53:10.797 --> 00:53:15.712 about the spiritual understanding of the human presence on this earth, 00:53:15.736 --> 00:53:20.021 is to understand that we are not separate. 00:53:20.371 --> 00:53:23.481 It's not like, "Over there is planet Earth, 00:53:23.505 --> 00:53:25.672 and then humans are over here." 00:53:25.696 --> 00:53:28.606 And we are totally interconnected with all other species, 00:53:28.630 --> 00:53:30.387 and with all other living beings, 00:53:30.411 --> 00:53:34.077 and doing the responsible thing by them 00:53:34.101 --> 00:53:36.172 does the responsible thing by us. 00:53:36.196 --> 00:53:37.522 And vice versa. 00:53:37.546 --> 00:53:39.363 And so that interconnectedness 00:53:39.387 --> 00:53:41.847 is one that comes from the spiritual traditions, 00:53:41.871 --> 00:53:45.077 but you don't have to be religious or spiritual to understand that. 00:53:45.101 --> 00:53:46.474 You know, the fact is, 00:53:46.498 --> 00:53:50.108 every single drop of water that we drink comes from nature. 00:53:50.132 --> 00:53:52.545 Every single morsel of food that we eat 00:53:52.569 --> 00:53:53.720 comes from nature. 00:53:53.744 --> 00:53:56.109 And we've got to heal that connection. NOTE Paragraph 00:53:56.133 --> 00:53:57.680 CA: We would welcome engagement. NOTE Paragraph 00:53:57.704 --> 00:54:01.353 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 00:54:01.815 --> 00:54:04.926 Kaley Roshitsh: Hi, Kaley Roshitsh from Women's Wear Daily. 00:54:04.950 --> 00:54:07.697 Obviously, the fashion industry is responsible for a lot 00:54:07.721 --> 00:54:09.234 of the carbon output, 00:54:09.258 --> 00:54:13.099 so I wondered what is your perspective on conscious consumption? NOTE Paragraph 00:54:13.496 --> 00:54:18.003 CA: The key goal here is to align, at the same time, 00:54:18.027 --> 00:54:20.266 to change opinion on what companies do, 00:54:20.290 --> 00:54:22.528 what employees do, what consumers do. 00:54:22.988 --> 00:54:27.662 It's the shifts all happening at the same time that can make change. 00:54:27.686 --> 00:54:29.869 Right now, someone else is always the problem. 00:54:29.893 --> 00:54:32.027 "Our investors wouldn't allow us to do that." 00:54:32.051 --> 00:54:35.624 "There is no market for this better, more sustainable product." 00:54:35.965 --> 00:54:39.036 And so, all the pieces need to happen at the same time. 00:54:39.060 --> 00:54:40.782 That's our hope. 00:54:40.806 --> 00:54:42.974 And so the lead on this is not us, 00:54:42.998 --> 00:54:46.386 it's employees and CEOs and leadership teams 00:54:46.410 --> 00:54:48.807 working in that industry. 00:54:49.657 --> 00:54:52.218 Get together, make something happen. 00:54:52.242 --> 00:54:56.982 And ride the tide of the zeitgeist shift that is happening -- 00:54:57.006 --> 00:54:59.978 it's going to work out from the business point of view as well. NOTE Paragraph 00:55:00.002 --> 00:55:01.658 CF: Can I jump on that as well? 00:55:01.682 --> 00:55:05.293 Because for years, for centuries, 00:55:05.317 --> 00:55:10.341 we have been on an extract-and-consume mentality. 00:55:10.365 --> 00:55:12.268 They way we go about our life 00:55:12.292 --> 00:55:14.379 and the way that businesses are created 00:55:14.403 --> 00:55:18.077 is extract, use, discard, extract, use, discard. 00:55:18.101 --> 00:55:21.351 That's a simplification, but honestly, it's about as simple as that. 00:55:21.375 --> 00:55:25.978 And to understand that that linear extraction to discard 00:55:26.002 --> 00:55:29.017 can no longer be the case, that it needs to be circular now, 00:55:29.041 --> 00:55:32.564 we have to go into a circular economy 00:55:32.588 --> 00:55:35.480 that uses every single resource that we extract -- 00:55:35.504 --> 00:55:37.330 because we will continue to extract -- 00:55:37.354 --> 00:55:40.453 that uses it not once, but two, three, four, five, 10 times, 00:55:40.477 --> 00:55:41.992 around and around in circles. 00:55:42.016 --> 00:55:43.387 That's a circular economy. 00:55:43.411 --> 00:55:45.490 And we have to get to that point, 00:55:45.514 --> 00:55:50.085 because frankly, we're running out of resources to continue to extract. NOTE Paragraph 00:55:50.109 --> 00:55:52.371 Jodi Xu Klein: Hi, my name is Jodi Xu Klein, 00:55:52.395 --> 00:55:57.442 I'm with the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong publication here in the US. 00:55:57.466 --> 00:56:00.968 So, we've been reporting on trade war for more than a year, 00:56:00.992 --> 00:56:03.599 and we're actually living in a world 00:56:03.623 --> 00:56:06.507 where countries are decoupling from each other. 00:56:06.531 --> 00:56:11.865 How do you overcome that trend and bring everyone together? NOTE Paragraph 00:56:11.889 --> 00:56:13.087 CA: We don't know, 00:56:13.111 --> 00:56:14.833 these are really challenging issues. 00:56:14.857 --> 00:56:17.769 What we do know is that we have to bring everyone to the table 00:56:17.793 --> 00:56:19.031 and have the discussion. 00:56:19.055 --> 00:56:20.714 There are so many people in China, 00:56:20.738 --> 00:56:22.127 including, on many occasions, 00:56:22.151 --> 00:56:25.547 the Chinese government has made bold steps 00:56:25.571 --> 00:56:27.452 to tackle this issue. 00:56:27.476 --> 00:56:31.061 There's a lot that the West can learn from what's happening in China. NOTE Paragraph 00:56:31.085 --> 00:56:32.236 CF: I would say, 00:56:32.260 --> 00:56:37.474 in a world in which we're seeing a wave of nationalism and populism, 00:56:37.498 --> 00:56:41.337 the way we go at this is actually to expand 00:56:41.361 --> 00:56:44.314 the breadth of engagement, 00:56:44.338 --> 00:56:49.136 so not to let the responsibility of engaging on climate 00:56:49.160 --> 00:56:51.542 be in national government hands only. 00:56:51.566 --> 00:56:53.218 Yes, they have an important role, 00:56:53.242 --> 00:56:55.798 but we can bring it down as well 00:56:55.822 --> 00:57:00.218 to a different level of engagement which is every single human being. 00:57:00.242 --> 00:57:03.357 And once we understand that we're all human beings 00:57:03.381 --> 00:57:05.151 and that we all have a common future, 00:57:05.175 --> 00:57:07.595 there's no such thing as all of us being in a boat 00:57:07.619 --> 00:57:10.841 and only the one closest to the hole in the boat are going to sink. 00:57:10.865 --> 00:57:12.016 No. 00:57:12.040 --> 00:57:14.111 Either we all sink or we all float together. NOTE Paragraph 00:57:14.135 --> 00:57:16.960 Justine Calma: My name is Justine Calma, I'm with The Verge, 00:57:16.984 --> 00:57:18.593 thanks so much for this. 00:57:18.617 --> 00:57:24.252 My question is about TED and YouTube's own carbon footprint. 00:57:24.276 --> 00:57:28.347 Streaming video eats up a huge amount of energy, 00:57:28.371 --> 00:57:33.697 and I'm curious what TED and YouTube 00:57:33.721 --> 00:57:37.339 might be doing to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions 00:57:37.363 --> 00:57:39.289 connected to that. NOTE Paragraph 00:57:40.323 --> 00:57:42.534 CA: I can't speak for YouTube, obviously. 00:57:42.868 --> 00:57:46.756 I will say that, to quote a line from George Monbiot, 00:57:46.780 --> 00:57:49.137 all of us are hypocrites in this movement. 00:57:49.161 --> 00:57:51.074 If you've ever bought something 00:57:51.098 --> 00:57:54.611 or you're wearing clothes or you're eating food, 00:57:54.635 --> 00:57:57.008 you're a hypocrite, you're creating emissions. 00:57:57.032 --> 00:57:58.746 It's part of life. 00:57:58.770 --> 00:58:02.814 And I think perfection is -- 00:58:03.182 --> 00:58:04.926 There's a risk that perfection, 00:58:04.950 --> 00:58:08.752 that an overpursuit and focus on that 00:58:08.776 --> 00:58:11.852 and the judging that comes with it can slow everyone down. 00:58:12.178 --> 00:58:15.686 We want this to be a coalition of the willing who accept 00:58:15.710 --> 00:58:18.099 that they're not perfect but are willing to act. 00:58:18.123 --> 00:58:22.321 Now, this whole process has sparked a huge conversation in TED 00:58:22.345 --> 00:58:25.141 about how we act more responsibly, 00:58:25.165 --> 00:58:26.487 and that will continue. 00:58:26.511 --> 00:58:30.301 We're certainly not going to stop streaming videos. 00:58:30.325 --> 00:58:31.968 At some point you have to do math, 00:58:31.992 --> 00:58:35.055 it's like that -- give to the planet more than you take from it, 00:58:35.079 --> 00:58:39.150 I think is the golden rule that I personally really believe in. 00:58:39.174 --> 00:58:43.666 And so if an idea, powered by a little bit of electricity, 00:58:43.690 --> 00:58:45.808 can ignite in someone's brain, 00:58:45.832 --> 00:58:49.205 I would bet on the idea over saving the electricity. 00:58:49.229 --> 00:58:50.855 But there's no perfection in this. 00:58:50.879 --> 00:58:53.521 And we definitely have a lot that we need to improve on. 00:58:53.545 --> 00:58:54.918 Let's go here and then back. NOTE Paragraph 00:58:54.942 --> 00:58:58.543 Lane Florsheim: Hi, I'm Lane Florsheim form the Wall Street Journal Magazine 00:58:58.567 --> 00:59:00.773 and Chris, I really liked what you were saying 00:59:00.797 --> 00:59:03.511 about the fashion industry and what they can do to change 00:59:03.535 --> 00:59:06.118 and how it requires employees and CEOs to meet together 00:59:06.142 --> 00:59:09.174 because who understands an industry better than the people in it 00:59:09.198 --> 00:59:11.103 and their processes and infrastructure, 00:59:11.127 --> 00:59:14.625 but I'm wondering, what about companies with huge footprints, 00:59:14.649 --> 00:59:18.474 and two that come to mind first are Amazon and Zara, 00:59:18.498 --> 00:59:19.863 where, by all accounts, 00:59:19.887 --> 00:59:22.776 the workers, the employees there don't have very much power 00:59:22.800 --> 00:59:27.156 and the CEOs don't have very much incentive to change right now. 00:59:27.180 --> 00:59:30.283 What would you say about those kinds of companies? NOTE Paragraph 00:59:31.307 --> 00:59:34.702 CA: So this is going to be such an important conversation going forward, 00:59:34.726 --> 00:59:36.982 because we're in the ironic position 00:59:37.006 --> 00:59:40.649 where the people who can do the most to solve this problem 00:59:40.673 --> 00:59:43.419 are the people who are currently the worst offenders. 00:59:43.443 --> 00:59:44.606 So what do we do? 00:59:44.630 --> 00:59:47.228 Do we make them part of the conversation or not? 00:59:47.252 --> 00:59:49.315 I say we make them part of the conversation, 00:59:49.339 --> 00:59:51.992 so long as we see serious engagement. 00:59:52.434 --> 00:59:53.585 So take Amazon. 00:59:53.609 --> 00:59:58.532 Jeff Bezos has actually listened to what many of his employees have said -- 00:59:58.556 --> 01:00:00.990 they've been very vigorous, the employee base there, 01:00:01.014 --> 01:00:02.283 about carbon footprint -- 01:00:02.307 --> 01:00:05.672 has listened, has engaged with you and with others. 01:00:05.696 --> 01:00:09.851 And they have announced, I think it's correct to say announced -- 01:00:09.875 --> 01:00:11.041 CF: Yes, they have. 01:00:11.065 --> 01:00:13.713 CA: ... an acceleration of their own commitment 01:00:13.737 --> 01:00:19.333 to go to, basically, a net zero track by 2040, if I have it right. 01:00:19.357 --> 01:00:24.611 It's the companies with the thousands, the tens of thousands of trucks, 01:00:24.635 --> 01:00:26.611 and the packaging and all the rest of it. 01:00:26.635 --> 01:00:29.149 That is how this problem will get solved. 01:00:29.173 --> 01:00:34.601 So I say we invite these CEOs to be part of this, 01:00:34.625 --> 01:00:37.903 and urge them to take it seriously 01:00:37.927 --> 01:00:42.061 and to go fast and maybe even faster than they're completely comfortable doing. 01:00:42.085 --> 01:00:44.018 But that's, I think, what we have to do. 01:00:44.042 --> 01:00:48.194 Not to defame, denounce, 01:00:48.218 --> 01:00:51.931 before we've at least had a serious conversation about, 01:00:51.955 --> 01:00:53.415 "It's time, 01:00:53.439 --> 01:00:54.939 your employees want to do this, 01:00:54.963 --> 01:00:56.617 your customers want to do this, 01:00:56.641 --> 01:01:00.402 your investors increasingly want to do this, let's do this." 01:01:00.807 --> 01:01:01.958 That's our hope. NOTE Paragraph 01:01:01.982 --> 01:01:04.958 CF: And the wonderful thing about companies the size of Amazon, 01:01:04.982 --> 01:01:06.470 or Walmart when they did it, 01:01:06.494 --> 01:01:09.236 is that they have a huge trickle-up effect. 01:01:09.260 --> 01:01:11.299 Because when Jeff Bezos came out and said, 01:01:11.323 --> 01:01:14.200 "I'm going to make Amazon climate-neutral by 2040 --" 01:01:14.224 --> 01:01:15.474 Paris Agreement says 2050, 01:01:15.498 --> 01:01:18.004 of course he wants to do everything better than that, 01:01:18.028 --> 01:01:19.585 so 2040 is for Amazon. 01:01:19.609 --> 01:01:21.633 Well good, we're going to keep them to it. 01:01:21.657 --> 01:01:23.864 Now, the amazing thing about that 01:01:23.888 --> 01:01:28.022 is that in order for Amazon to be climate-neutral by 2040, 01:01:28.046 --> 01:01:31.156 they have to work with all their supply chain going up. 01:01:31.180 --> 01:01:33.466 They have to work with all of those companies 01:01:33.490 --> 01:01:35.783 that deliver services and goods to them 01:01:35.807 --> 01:01:38.330 for them to also be climate neutral ASAP. 01:01:38.354 --> 01:01:41.014 Because otherwise, they can't meet their own commitment. 01:01:41.038 --> 01:01:46.013 So large companies are actually very, very key and instrumental to this, 01:01:46.037 --> 01:01:48.855 because it's not just about their footprint, 01:01:48.879 --> 01:01:54.117 it's about the embedded footprint that they inherit in their supply chain. 01:01:54.141 --> 01:01:57.236 And the transformation of that is really huge. NOTE Paragraph 01:01:57.888 --> 01:01:59.650 CA: Last question. NOTE Paragraph 01:01:59.674 --> 01:02:02.163 Jackie Padilla: My name is Jackie with NowThis News, 01:02:02.187 --> 01:02:04.628 and every day, I work with young climate activists 01:02:04.652 --> 01:02:06.207 like the ones we've heard today, 01:02:06.231 --> 01:02:08.125 but when we do stories on them, 01:02:08.149 --> 01:02:09.839 you know, including Greta Thunberg, 01:02:09.863 --> 01:02:12.649 I see fierce criticism that they face 01:02:12.673 --> 01:02:14.997 and largely, it's because of a generational gap. 01:02:15.395 --> 01:02:18.291 I don't know if you're familiar with the phrase "OK Boomer," 01:02:18.315 --> 01:02:23.365 but it seems like there's a lot of guilt or accountability 01:02:23.389 --> 01:02:24.664 that some are looking for, 01:02:24.688 --> 01:02:27.403 and on the other end, we're looking at a lack of education 01:02:27.427 --> 01:02:28.966 or just ignorance on the issue. 01:02:28.990 --> 01:02:33.534 So what is your advice to young people to respond to that criticism, 01:02:33.558 --> 01:02:36.400 to foster constructive conversations? NOTE Paragraph 01:02:36.424 --> 01:02:38.487 CF: We should probably ask them. NOTE Paragraph 01:02:38.511 --> 01:02:40.847 XB: Hi, thank you for your question. NOTE Paragraph 01:02:40.871 --> 01:02:42.538 CA: Come here. NOTE Paragraph 01:02:42.562 --> 01:02:44.521 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 01:02:46.506 --> 01:02:49.141 XB: It is true that we increasingly face criticism, 01:02:49.165 --> 01:02:52.283 and it's not only when we speak to people, with climate deniers, 01:02:52.307 --> 01:02:53.458 or things like that, 01:02:53.482 --> 01:02:55.355 but also on social media. 01:02:55.379 --> 01:02:58.760 It is as much a tool to spread information 01:02:58.784 --> 01:03:00.090 and organize our strikes 01:03:00.114 --> 01:03:02.029 and get the information out there, 01:03:02.053 --> 01:03:05.172 but it's also a tool for people who want to undermine us, 01:03:05.196 --> 01:03:07.569 to personally attack us. 01:03:07.593 --> 01:03:11.244 And the way in which we stay resilient 01:03:11.268 --> 01:03:14.990 is when we build community with each other, 01:03:15.014 --> 01:03:16.363 when we organize, 01:03:16.387 --> 01:03:18.720 we mimic the world we want to see. 01:03:18.744 --> 01:03:21.371 There is no hierarchy in our organizing, 01:03:21.395 --> 01:03:25.133 we are all working towards the same goal constructively, 01:03:25.157 --> 01:03:30.499 choosing our passions towards making the strike the best it can be. 01:03:30.523 --> 01:03:34.206 We got 300,000 people striking in New York, 01:03:34.230 --> 01:03:36.600 we put together a whole concert, 01:03:36.624 --> 01:03:39.131 people called it "Climchella," it was great. NOTE Paragraph 01:03:39.505 --> 01:03:41.298 (Laughter) NOTE Paragraph 01:03:41.322 --> 01:03:45.219 But the point is that it's not going to stop us. 01:03:45.243 --> 01:03:47.132 The criticism is not going to stop us. 01:03:47.156 --> 01:03:49.815 And even though we know that we are kids, 01:03:49.839 --> 01:03:52.868 and we are not here to tell you all the solutions 01:03:52.892 --> 01:03:55.807 that already are out there. 01:03:56.125 --> 01:03:58.488 We are going to do it, 01:03:58.512 --> 01:04:00.950 because every kid who cares about the climate crisis 01:04:00.974 --> 01:04:05.625 is going to grow up to study through environmental lens 01:04:05.649 --> 01:04:08.386 and to change the world through that. 01:04:08.752 --> 01:04:12.206 So we are here to tell you, 01:04:12.230 --> 01:04:16.599 personally, climate activists that I know don't use "OK Boomer," 01:04:16.623 --> 01:04:21.336 because we strive for intergenerational cooperation. 01:04:21.840 --> 01:04:26.221 And I think that blaming and dividing each other 01:04:26.245 --> 01:04:28.570 is not going to get us anywhere, 01:04:28.594 --> 01:04:30.205 which is why we don't use it, 01:04:30.229 --> 01:04:31.944 and I don't think it should be used, 01:04:31.968 --> 01:04:36.593 and I actually want to thank everybody who is doing something, 01:04:36.617 --> 01:04:39.723 because action inspires action. 01:04:40.033 --> 01:04:42.661 And you inspire us, 01:04:42.685 --> 01:04:45.484 and we're glad that we inspire you as well. NOTE Paragraph 01:04:45.508 --> 01:04:52.267 (Cheers and applause) NOTE Paragraph 01:04:52.291 --> 01:04:55.378 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 01:04:55.402 --> 01:04:56.553 CA: Wow. 01:04:56.577 --> 01:04:57.630 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 01:04:57.654 --> 01:04:59.164 CF: There you have it. 01:04:59.188 --> 01:05:02.751 (Applause and cheers) NOTE Paragraph 01:05:02.775 --> 01:05:08.285 (Applause) NOTE Paragraph 01:05:08.309 --> 01:05:13.190 CA: There is no better note on which to end this. NOTE Paragraph 01:05:13.214 --> 01:05:14.365 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 01:05:14.389 --> 01:05:21.088 (Applause)