Global celebrities come together to urge people to confront climate crisis
The Pope and Prince William will join activists, artists, celebrities and politicians on Saturday at a free streamed TED event aimed at unifying people to confront the climate crisis.
The Countdown programme will kick off on the TED channel at YouTube starting at 8am in California and feature 50 speakers, the pontiff and the secondin-line to the British throne among them.
“You’ll be hearing from all different kinds of folks from all walks of life; from the front lines to the grassroots to the treetops,” actor Mark Ruffalo, who is among the Countdown hosts, said during a briefing ahead of the event.
“They’ll be talking a little bit about the problems and a lot about the solutions.”
Countdown will last about five hours, for the first time providing a free look at the blend of arts, ideas, innovation and enlightenment that are trademarks of prestigious TED conferences. “Climate can’t wait,” said TED head Chris Anderson.
“If there’s one thing that we surely must learn from this year, it’s that when scientists warn you that there is something terrible coming, you have to pay attention.”
While Countdown will spotlight science about the climate crisis and how it is harming the health of the planet, it will be geared to things people can do to stop it, according to organisers.
For example a talk will be given by the mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone where there is a project to plant a million trees to protect land from floods and absorb carbon dioxide.
Speakers also include European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, teenage climate activist Xiye Bastida, actor Chris Hemsworth, and former US vice president Al Gore.
Hundreds of smaller “TEDx” events are planned around the world to encourage local action.
A protester at a climate change protest in London last year.