Countdown event

Countdown is a bold, global movement to find ways to rapidly shift to a world with net zero greenhouse emissions and tackle the climate crisis. Communities, schools, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and city representative offices are invited to participate. Understanding that now is the time to take back power on climate, TED works with incredible networks to ignite ideas, showcase solutions, and drive action locally.


About this event type

Since the Countdown Global Launch in 2020, local Countdown events have aimed to amplify ideas and demonstrate solutions to the climate challenge that we all face. TEDx teams across 99 countries have held over 1,000 events, centered around climate-focused ideas by local speakers or TED Countdown speakers, solution technologies and even volunteer activities that contribute to positive change. Like other license types, the gatherings follow the TEDx model and rules.


More about Countdown

Learn all about the Countdown Global Launch, Countdown Summit, Global Livestream, and local Countdown events here.

Naming your event

Your event will be named using the TEDx naming guidelines. Read more about the rules for naming your event. Events using the name of a nonprofit or government organization must remain internal, and cannot be promoted externally.

Audience

Your audience should be open and inclusive, bringing together a wide range of people and organizations to learn more about solutions to the global threat of climate change. If the event is held in the name of a nonprofit or government organization, the audience remains internal for employees only.

(For events within businesses, please explore our TEDx Business License options.)

Size

Like all other in-person TEDx events, Countdown events can have up to 100 in-person attendees. Only individuals who have attended a qualifying TED conference can organize an event with more than 100 in-person attendees.

Theme

The focus of the event is climate change; each talk should reflect that. This is not a regular TEDx event. The Countdown initiative is focused on five subject areas: energy, transport, materials, food and nature. If you decide to host live speakers, these are the solution areas to explore. You can find more information about the Countdown initiative at countdown.ted.com. You can find guidance on finding, inviting and preparing speakers in the TEDx organizer guide.

Duration

The event can be as brief as a couple of hours and up to one day in length. It can be held anytime throughout the year.

Format

Your Countdown event can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be.
You can:

*Share talks from the Countdown playlist.

*Choose to curate your own speaker talks and share them.

*Feature a combination of TED Countdown talks and local speakers.

*Plan activities that bring your community together to brainstorm and debate local solutions.

Pricing

You may charge up to $100 USD per ticket to participants, only to cover expenses. TEDx events are nonprofit, volunteer endeavors.

YouTube

If you plan to livestream your Countdown event for remote attendees, you will not be able to stream TED content via your team’s YouTube channel.

  • Our team will not unblock your event’s YouTube channel for your event.
  • If your program includes TED content: you can still livestream your event, but you’ll have to use a platform other than YouTube.
  • If your program only includes local talks: you may livestream your event via any platform including YouTube, no unblocking required.

Artists for Climate - SPRINTS x TEDx

In collaboration with nine amazing TEDx events around the world – Fine Acts developed Sprints — a creative bootcamp where visual artists had 48 hours to produce an artwork on the topic of climate change with the goal to envision what a better climate future looks like.

Take a look at the artwork from TEDxSãoPaulo (Brazil), TEDxMontréal (Canada), TEDxJohannesburg (South Africa), TEDxNapierBridge (India), TEDxVarese (Italy), TEDxSadovoeRing (Russia), TEDxTarragona (Spain), TEDxBrighton (UK), and TEDxCalzadaDeLosHéroes (Mexico) on the Sprints x TEDx website.