Listen Now

Today, we're re-sharing a conversation with Christiana Figueres, because we've got a special update for you from TED. On Saturday, October 10, we'll launch Countdown: an exciting new global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action. To get involved, tune in to the global launch which will be live-streamed at youtube.com/ted on October 10 at 11am ET. In 2015, Christiana Figueres brokered the historic Paris Agreement to combat climate change. She gives an inside look at the negotiations that led to a commitment from 195 countries to work toward a low carbon future and discusses her current work on COUNTDOWN, an ambitious new initiative from TED aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero.

Born in a charity hospital and now president of the Ford Foundation, Darren Walker has been on both sides of the “inequality equation." He explains the need for the wealthy to acknowledge their complicity in a system that sustains racism and injustice, the importance of nuance in addressing complex systemic issues in the U.S., and the role philanthropy can play in rectifying the social and economic imbalances that disproportionately hurt Black Americans. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson. It was recorded July 1, 2020.

The youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai has been an international advocate for girls' education since she was 15 years old and was shot by the Taliban for speaking out about girls' education. Now, as a fresh graduate of Oxford University (and job seeking!), she urges us not to forget about the girls who still lack access to a classroom. She describes why learning was crucial to her as a young girl in Pakistan and how the fight for girls' education is inextricably linked with the coronavirus pandemic and recent calls for racial justice. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded July 8, 2020.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has been a leader in climate advocacy for over 40 years. He argues that amid the global pandemic and worldwide calls for racial justice, climate action can help create a “clean, prosperous, just future” for all. He also highlights youth’s vital role in pressuring governments and businesses on environmental issues, and the effect of strategies like carbon pricing and nuclear energy on reducing emissions. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson. It was recorded June 23, 2020.

The war in Afghanistan has wrought turmoil and loss of life for nearly two decades. But that is just one side of the story. President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani digs into what's needed to bring peace and positive change to his country -- including the importance of sharing common ground with its neighbors, allies and adversaries; elevating the voices of women; and pushing forward a strategy for the pandemic that doesn't abandon its people in poverty. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson. It was recorded June 16, 2020.

How can businesses recover from the pandemic's unprecedented economic destruction? PayPal CEO Dan Schulman argues that it's by improving the financial health of their employees. His company has pioneered research into Net Disposable Income, and he contends that ensuring every worker has enough is vital to the long-term success of any business. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by TED’s business curator Corey Hajim and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded May 19, 2020.

Taiwan has succeeded in avoiding a pandemic lockdown, in part through an innovative digital strategy. Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Digital Minister, shares how tools and techniques like crowdsourcing, a transparent supplies system and the use of humor have resulted in less than 500 confirmed cases to date. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by TED's science curator David Biello and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded June 1, 2020.

Featuring Dr. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center and daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Rashad Robinson, President of Color of Change; Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU; and Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff, CEO of the Center for Policing Equity. The killing of George Floyd and other recent police violence against black people in the U.S. has sparked outrage and action the world over. Why is this moment so important, and how can we learn from it to end systemic racism? This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded June 3, 2020.

What will it take to put the pieces of the global economy back together? Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva takes us inside the massive economic stimulus efforts leading the world toward recovery and renewal. She argues that we must channel money to the countries that need it most and fortify our financial systems to ensure we emerge from this "great transformation" even stronger than before. This virtual conversation is part of TED2020, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded May 18, 2020.

Global economist Dambisa Moyo was raised in Zambia and educated in England and the United States. Tune into her unique worldview and how it’s shaped her thinking on issues like overseas aid, climate, democracy and the rise of the coronavirus pandemic. This episode was recorded on March 5, 2020.

Psychologist Elizabeth Dunn argues that happiness is made not found and explains how our everyday choices—in matters from time to money to technology—help create it. This episode was recorded on February 5, 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic is more global, dramatic and unusual than any crisis we've seen in a long time, says journalist Fareed Zakaria. Listen as he shares his perspective on how we can recover from the economic fallout, why certain countries were able to avoid major outbreaks and what this might mean for the balance of global power. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded April 9, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

"I'm a capitalist. I believe in the system. I believe you can increase the size of the pie and you could divide it well," says Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates. He offers wide-ranging insight and advice on how we might recover from the global economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis -- and use it as an opportunity to reform the systems that help grow our economy. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and business curator Corey Hajim. It was recorded on April 8, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political theorist Danielle Allen describes how we can ethically and democratically address both problems by scaling up "smart testing," which would track positive cases with peer-to-peer software on people's cell phones -- so we can end the pandemic and get back to work. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and business curator Corey Hajim. It was recorded April 6, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

Author Priya Parker shares tools for creating meaningful connections with friends, family and coworkers during the coronavirus pandemic -- and shows how we can take advantage of gatherings that are unique to this moment of social distancing. “We don’t necessarily need to gather more,” she says. “We need to gather better.” This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by Chris and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded on March 27, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

"Life's beauty is inseparable from its fragility," says psychologist Susan David. In a special virtual conversation, she shares wisdom on how to build resilience, courage and joy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Responding to listeners' questions from across the globe, she offers ways to talk to your children about their emotions, keep focus during the crisis and help those working on the front lines. This conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by Chris and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded on March 23, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

If you're feeling anxious or fearful during the coronavirus pandemic, you're not alone. Offering hope and understanding, author Elizabeth Gilbert reflects on how to stay present, accept grief when it comes and trust in the strength of the human spirit. "Resilience is our shared genetic inheritance," she says. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and head of curation Helen Walters. It was recorded on April 2, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

A good night's sleep has perhaps never been more important. Sharing wisdom and debunking myths, sleep scientist Matt Walker discusses the impact of sleep on mind and body -- from unleashing your creative powers to boosting your memory and immune health -- and details practices you can start (and stop) doing tonight to get some rest. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by Chris and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded on April 1, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

What can past pandemics teach us how to tackle the current one? Tracing the history of contagions from cholera to Ebola and beyond, science journalist Sonia Shah explains why we’re more vulnerable to outbreaks now than ever before, what we can do to minimize the spread of coronavirus and how to prevent future pandemics. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by science curator David Biello and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded on March 31, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects

From Hong Kong, South China Morning Post CEO Gary Liu tracks China's response to the coronavirus pandemic -- from the initial outbreak in Wuhan to the shutdown of Hubei province and the containment measures taken across its major cities. Sharing insights into how the culture in places like Hong Kong and South Korea contributed to fast action against the virus, Liu identifies lessons people across the world can use to stop its spread. This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by Chris and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. It was recorded on March 25, 2020. To learn more, visit go.ted.com/tedconnects