Countdown event

Since 2020, local TEDx Countdown events have aimed to amplify ideas and demonstrate solutions to the global climate challenge. Teams across 100 countries and territories have held over 1,200 events, centered around climate-focused ideas by local speakers or TED Countdown speakers, solution technologies and hands-on activities that contribute to positive change.

• Events can take place anytime during the year.
• You can feature live talks by local speakers.
• You can also feature talks from previous TED Countdown activations and other relevant talks from the TED Talks library.
  → For your use, our team curates and updates a playlist of select talks
  → Learn more about content guidance below.
• You’re encouraged to include activities that bring your community together to brainstorm and debate local solutions.
• All standard TEDx rules apply.

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

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.

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.)

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 attendees.

You can choose to curate only live talks by local speakers, only stream TED content, or feature a combination of both — you’re not required to share TED content at your event.

You're allowed to stream all talks from previous TED Countdown activations and other relevant talks from the TED Talks library for your audience, through talk links on YouTube or TED.com. TED will not provide downloadable files.

Please note that TED content can only be shared with an in-person audience, and you are not permitted to stream any TED content through online platforms. However, if you plan to invite remote attendees for a hybrid event experience, you are allowed to stream your own curated talks by local speakers.

The talks and activities at your event should focus on Countdown’s five subject areas: energy, transport, materials, food and nature. You can find guidance on finding, inviting and preparing speakers in the TEDx Organizer Guide.

The event can be up to one day in length.

The ticket price you may charge to cover event expenses depends on your Licensing Tier. Events organized by a Community tier licensee may charge up to $150 USD per ticket.

If you have any questions, please reach out to tedx@ted.com.

SPRINTS is a creative, 48-hour bootcamp that your team can host alongside your TEDx Countdown event, where local visual artists come together to produce artwork that envisions what a better climate future looks like. Take a look at select artworks created through SPRINTS x TEDx.

Special thanks to Fine Acts and the TEDx teams that developed this project: TEDxSãoPaulo (Brazil), TEDxMontréal (Canada), TEDxJohannesburg (South Africa), TEDxNapierBridge (India), TEDxVarese (Italy), TEDxSadovoeRing (Russia), TEDxTarragona (Spain), TEDxBrighton (UK), and TEDxCalzadaDeLosHéroes (Mexico).