Theme: Countdown

Storms. Wildfires. Snow in April. We all notice the strange occurrences of climate getting more and more frequent, a ticking warning that our planet is giving us to indicate that time is running out. And it is just a glimpse of what we might have to expect in the future if we don’t act on what is causing this. Daylight is not what is in need of saving. Earth’s doomsday clock is counting down and we don’t want to know what happens when it hits midnight.
There is one silver lining - the ticking of the unnaturally amplified storms raining down on us is a sign that there is still some sand in the upper half of the hourglass - and it’s not too late to turn it upside down, before the world turns upside down.

Countdown is a collaboration between TED and Leaders’ Quest focused on taking action in the climate crisis by putting spotlight on ideas that will lead to a more sustainable future.

TUM Main campus
Arcisstraße 21
Munich, Bayern
Germany

Daphne Keilmann-Gondhalekar

Dr. Daphne Keilmann-Gondhalekar is a leading figure in integrated urban development, focusing on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. Currently a Post-Doc at TUM's Chair of Urban Water Management since 2017, she previously served as a Guest Scientist there. Alongside her academic roles, she operates as an independent consultant for integrated urban planning. With a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo and postdoctoral experience at MIT, She holds a Master's from ETH Zurich and a Bachelor's from the University of Glasgow, grounding her interdisciplinary approach. Actively engaged in professional networks like Scientists for Future and UN HABITAT Planners for Climate Action, she advocates for sustainable urbanization and environmental stewardship.

Miranda Schreurs

Professor Schreurs is a leading researcher in international and comparative climate, energy, and environmental policy. Her work focuses on topics such as the energy transition in Japan and Germany, climate policy in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and political considerations surrounding the disposal of radioactive waste. Notable appointments include serving on Chancellor Angela Merkel's Ethical Commission for a Secure Energy Supply and as a member of the German government's Expert Advisory Council on Environmental Issues. With degrees from the University of Washington and the University of Michigan, Prof. Schreurs has held academic positions at institutions such as Harvard University and the University of Maryland. She previously directed the Environmental Policy Research Center and held a professorship in Comparative Political Analysis at the Free University of Berlin.