Major worldwide climate initiative announced at Creative Bath event

A major new worldwide climate change initiative was unveiled by TED Conferences and Global Optimism at last night’s Creative Bath event. It sets an ambition and a challenge for humanity – to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero.

The head of TED, Chris Anderson and key player in the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015, Tom Rivett-Carnac stressed the urgency to ACT NOW to address the climate crisis, and then turned words into action by announcing the brand new TED initiative – Countdown (https://countdown.ted.com).

Chris said, “We must cut net greenhouse emissions from the current 55 gigatons per year, to zero. To get this done, we have to engage EVERYONE.

“I was really pleased to unveil this initiative at Creative Bath in Bath – a city full of inventive, creative thinkers and a place which means so much to me.

“Creativity is humanity’s superpower and optimism is a strategy to drive change.”

Here are the four key elements of the Countdown initiative:

• First: to eradicate the combustion engine by 2030
• Second: to plant a trillion (yes: a million million) trees by 2050
• Third: a major event at Bergen, Norway Oct 6-9 2020 – prominent public figures, story tellers, YouTubers, creatives, techs, politicians, business people coming together on climate change
• And fourth is Climate’s Day of Destiny on 10.10.2020 – a global series of events in cities, companies, schools and communities around the globe

As the founder of Future, Chris Anderson’s ties with Bath are strong. Attendees at last night’s sold-out event included former Future employees who have developed successful creative businesses of their own, such as event sponsor, Play Sports Network (www.playsportsnetwork.com).

Feedback from guests has been staggering with a flurry of comments on the Creative Bath Twitter and Instagram pages: “An amazing event... taking big action through big ideas”, “This was more than an evening of sound bites and anecdotes, this was a lesson in positive thinking and believing change is possible”, through to “Amazing, inspirational, life-changing”. 

Founder and chair of Creative Bath, Greg Ingham sums up, “We are truly privileged to hear this incredible new TED initiative that strives to make a difference to our climate crisis in such as bold and brave way. 

“Creatives see the world differently, and creativity really can change the world. The onus is on us all now to take action.”