How TED Countdown Uses Storytelling to Grow the Climate Movement

Lindsay Levin, Co-Founder of TED Countdown, joins Monica Medina to reflect on how the initiative has grown into a global platform reaching millions. Levin shares how TED Countdown is flipping the climate script — spotlighting solutions, building radical collaborations, and spreading hope through powerful storytelling.

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Transcript

When climate headlines veer between catastrophic and paralyzing, it can feel easier to tune out than lean in. But Lindsay Levin believes we need a different story — one that highlights solutions, elevates diverse voices, and sparks agency rather than despair.

As the co-founder of TED Countdown, Levin has made it her mission to flip the script on climate. What began in 2020 as a single summit has evolved into a global storytelling initiative that has reached more than 280 million people and catalyzed hundreds of millions in climate philanthropy.

On The Scientista Podcast, Levin sat down with host Monica Medina to reflect on how TED Countdown was born, why collaboration is non-negotiable, and how storytelling can change the climate conversation.

“We choose to focus on people who are solving problems. We need engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, activists, artists, and creators. When people see all those connections, they get excited.”

The Origins of Countdown

The idea emerged in 2019 over dinner with Chris Anderson, TED’s head curator. Anderson had been nudged by longtime TED voices Al Gore and John Doerr to create TED’s first-ever issue-specific summit — on climate change.

Levin, already deep in climate and leadership work through her social enterprise LeadersQuest, jumped in. Within months, she was helping TED design what became TED Countdown, a platform not for doom, but for solutions.

The pandemic forced a pivot: instead of a single in-person gathering, TED staged a six-hour global broadcast, viewed by millions on YouTube. The impact was immediate. Countdown wasn’t a one-off. It was a movement.

From Doom to Possibility

Levin is acutely aware of the climate crisis’ urgency — from heatwaves in Britain where her elderly mother lives without air conditioning, to devastating floods and fires across the globe. But she rejects the narrative of helplessness.

“Scrolling the wrong headlines can leave you overwhelmed,” she said. “But if you go out into communities, you see people doing remarkable things every day. Leadership is happening locally, at scale, all the time.”

Countdown amplifies those stories — from renewable energy breakthroughs to youth-led justice movements — to remind audiences that change is possible, and already underway.

Radical Collaboration

At the heart of Levin’s work is what she calls “radical collaboration.” Countdown thrives by convening scientists, policymakers, business leaders, faith leaders, artists, and community organizers under the same tent.

This spirit was on full display at TED Countdown’s recent summit in Nairobi. More than 700 leaders — most from Africa and the Global South — shared talks, workshops, and “quest experiences” in communities. The result: new partnerships, fresh ideas, and momentum built on trust.

“Change isn’t linear,” Levin noted. “It happens in fits and bursts. We need all kinds of minds and skills to build the future we deserve.”

New Messengers for Climate

One of Countdown’s most innovative strategies has been engaging creators with massive online followings — people not traditionally associated with climate communication.

In collaboration with the group Conspirators, Countdown has invited chefs, farmers, parents, and lifestyle influencers into workshops and even onto the TED stage. Collectively, these creators reach tens of millions.

Many, Levin explained, were eager to speak on climate but lacked confidence in their knowledge. With support and exposure, they left inspired, and ready to integrate climate into their content in ways authentic to their communities.

“They don’t want talking points,” Levin said. “They know what will resonate. And their audiences follow them not for doom and gloom, but because they’re fun, inspiring, or practical. That’s incredibly powerful.”

Women, Mentorship, and Doing It Your Way

While TED Countdown takes center stage in her current work, Levin also reflected on her personal journey as a woman navigating leadership. Early in her career, she was often the only woman in the room. Her advice to young women: embrace that reality without losing yourself.

“Just be you. I didn’t overly dwell on why it might be difficult. Sometimes I even saw advantages,” she said.

Today, she celebrates the breadth of skills women bring to leadership — particularly compassion, connection, and resilience — qualities often undervalued but desperately needed. She also urged women to ask for help, and to offer it in turn.

“My kids survived me and my career,” she laughed. “They’re my best friends today. Be generous with yourself, and with other women. Support one another’s choices. That generosity matters.”