Theme: Countdown

Countdown is a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action.

The TEDxBrussels team is contributing to the global discussion by organising TEDxBrussels Countdown, which will showcase people who, at a local level, are taking action to prepare our city to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Participants and speakers will have the privilege of having inspiring conversations in the Museum of Natural Sciences, in the dinosaur gallery.

Between local speakers and the screening of videos filmed during the TED Countdown 2021 summit, we will talk about resilience to crises, accessibility to sustainability for all, and concrete solutions to the negative externalities that result from human activity.

For one evening, 130 young people, citizens, scientists, activists, workers... will come together to try to respond to these challenges.

Natural Sciences Museum
Rue Vautier 29
Brussels, Bruxelles-Capitale, Région de (fr), Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (nl), 1000
Belgium

Adelaïde Charlier

Climate Activist

In 2019, Adelaide launched the Youth for Climate movement with Anuna De Wever who organised school strikes for 20 weeks. Since then, it has become a daily concern. It has also changed her personally: the way she travels, eats, consumes... In October 2019, she will embark on a sailboat with thirty young people who were on their way to Cop 25 in order to draw attention to other modes of transport. At the beginning of 2020, she starts an internship in the European Parliament. Later in the year, she accepts to be a special advisor to the Vice President of the European Commission Mr. Timmermans With the sanitary situation, she has been very active in organising webinars, circulating information on social networks. Together with other activists, they make sure that the climate emergency is not forgotten by bringing this message via meetings with politicians, like Ursula Von Der Leyen, Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron,...

Anne Falier

CEO of Axedis

Anne is an engineer by training. After a career in the private sector, in 2015 she took over the management of Axedis, an adapted work company. The 170 disabled workers she works with every day have convinced her that difference is an asset and that everyone has a place in society. She is very sensitive to the impact of climate change and the urgent need to act now and in a drastic way. We need to move up a gear but without leaving anyone behind.

Audrey Speyer

CEO, PuriFungi

Audrey Speyer is a designer-researcher and founder of PuriFungi which uses myco-remediation as an innovative fungal decontamination method on cigarette butts. The butts are digested by the fungi and a new material comes to life from the combination of butts and mycelium. This myco-material has many properties (fire and water resistance, mechanical absorption and carbon sequestration during production) creating new resources for various applications such as ashtrays, insulation panels and packaging.

Célia Sapart

Director Communications and Climate Science

Célia Sapart is a Swiss climatologist, specialised in greenhouse gas emissions and historical climate reconstructions. After 13 years of academic research, including several long expeditions to the polar regions, Célia became involved in the front line of climate action as Director of Communications and Climate Science at CO2 Value Europe. This European non-profit organisation promotes the development of a circular carbon economy in order to "defuel" industry and achieve EU emissions targets.

Stefaan De Rynck

Head of the Representation in Belgium at European Commission

Stefaan De Rynck heads the European Commission’s Representation in Belgium, creating a bridge between the EU’s executive and Belgian politics and society. His experience in EU affairs and public policies covers transport, sustainable urban development, regulation of financial services, and the single market. From 2016 until 2021, he was a senior advisor for the Brexit negotiations conducted by Michel Barnier. De Rynck teaches on EU governance at the University of Leuven (KUL).