The inside story of the Paris climate agreement | Christiana Figueres

What would you do if your job was to save the planet? When Christiana Figueres was tapped by the UN to lead the Paris climate conference (COP 21) in December 2015, she reacted the way many people would: she thought it would be impossible to bring the leaders of 195 countries into agreement on how to slow climate change. Find out how she turned her skepticism into optimism — and helped the world achieve the most important climate agreement in history.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.

[JonnyMarshall]

A lot of words, but not much content or real information. This seems to be happening a lot with TED talks lately. Bland, wishy-washy talks which are largely devoid of any interesting and/or challenging information. Packed full of clichés ("we must do this together", "real progress requires change", "we have to think outside the box" etc etc), but not really giving us any real information.

I miss the old TED talks which used to be much more data based, with facts, figures, demonstrations etc. Occasionally I still see them, but too much people talking for a long time about not much.

[LynxLee]

Very general presentation and probably to some - motivational, but no facts or real details on what is exactly being done.

[PitchMadness]

This was a great speech! I have been following the Climate talks for a while and it's nice to get an insider's perspective (with an informed opinion) on the matter. Seeing some huge steps forward from many countries around the world, like Peru giving solar power to 2 million of it's poorest citizens! The quality of life for many people is going to drastically improve.

Honestly though the people who have the audacity to shrug off climate change, or unbelievably regurgitate half-baked negative rhetoric and slander without making even a bare minimal effort to look into climate change and forming their _own_ opinions, while literally millions are starving, dying from extreme natural disasters, and pollution and then use this as an excuse to dismiss/not worrying about climate change is the _epitome_ of hypocritical.

REGARDLESS of whether you believe in climate change, renewable resources and lifestyles give people self-sufficiency and a degree of independence and security from the government and these corporations. Particularly in Australia for many living in remote communities we NEED renewable resources, not only so people can more easily access food, power and water, but so they don't choke under the extreme costs for access to these basic needs (which, hey, are only going to increase when these resources become more scarce). Renewable resources REDUCE the cost and IMPROVE living while giving people their own platform to stand on and have an actual say about their future.

[AT-fwzc]

One of the rare videos that indicate the rigorous processes of obtaining consensus on a very large scale. One can read about the terms of the Paris Conference anywhere but finding such optimistic stories is not so easy. :)

[tonbonthemon]

She's a great speaker, but I think it would have been good to list some examples of nations doing their part. She says they're all doing their part, but I'm not aware of what exactly is being done.

[MrEdwardCarpenter]

A lot of the comments below misunderstand that behind every human action there is a motivation. If we cannot motivate people to act to stop climate change then NO PROGRESS will be made - regardless of the money, numbers, tech, facts etc. First comes hope, optimism and can do spirit - then the rest follows.

[raphaelv]

Paris was just greenwashing.... Things that need to change are ideology about climate and the way we consume. Not "legally binding" contracts. those contracts allow the consumers to carry on living as they live today, just buying different products and allowing the companies to make their choices solely looking at their profits.

That jeweller who said the pearls would be extinct soon but "they signed an accord" is not optimism! OPTIMISM WOULD BE SAYING "WE DO NOT NEED TO IMPORT EXTINCT SPECIES, which are excessively polluting to get here, taking away jobs from tahiti, and feeding the machine of materialism"

Someone who understands the aims and how to fulfill them would know to stop wearing makeup and dying their hair. Regardless of their right to do so, it should be, as i said, part of their ideology.

[Miguel-ngwm]

can anyone recommend a video with a more granular explanation? all videos I see are a bunch of generalizations

[AnaLuisaBarrantesRodriguez]

Christina como mujer costarricense le estoy agradecida. Más allá del éxito en este proyecto, por el ejemplo de su actitud retadoramente positiva. Ver su video, es ver caer en pedazos los roles femeninos llenos de estigmas sociales que de a poco vamos dejando atrás en este pedacito de tierra llamado Costa Rica. Es usted ejemplo de lucha pacífica.

[thedegenerate]

It's like a kindergarten lecture. Who agreed to what? Find out who took and who gave all and you'll feel differently.

[catherinehogue]

Des clips qui frappent qui droit au coeur nous donnent de l'espoir en l"humanité, CHristiana Figueres gives me faith in humanity in this clip from TED

[Robert-rwlm]

I wonder if she's feeling cynicism now that the US, the most powerful guy in this agreement that was also paying the highest bill pretty much decided to pull out of this agreement

[myvdjsx]

Most of those plans, mainly from developing countries, were not based on their national interest. They were forced to develop those plans.

[daniellagerwaard]

Fairly meaningless presentation, seems more like a self-promotion.

[EvangelistNickGarrett]

Of course they decided unanimously. On one hand there's hypothetical funding for them. On the other hand - Agree to tax or be taxed/fined more. Moreover, there's the political liability of not getting onboard. Participation does not correlate to universal interpretation of a theory's data. This issue at the international level will represent a precedent for global taxing authority. It represents one of the final steps for supporters of globalism to place one universal will over sovereign nations. Good speaker. I'd love to see other hypothesis posited for the current global climate/weather/earth changes. It seems like that is now happening due to weakness in the global warming hypothesis and discovery of purposeful aligning of data with political global initiatives for profit and power. Alas, any other theories will be too late. Our taxes will be raised based on the idea of our carbon output and given to the UN. Interesting time to be alive.

[Delta_Tesseract]

What can I do to change the world? Believe it possible, firstly. Never give up hope, secondly. Work towards securing our collective interests of self preservation, thirdly. Aim to cooperate with your neighbors whenever they wish to do something which will benefit everyone, fourthly. Make every possible diplomatic gesture to people who refuse to believe they can change the world, fifthly. And lastly, never, ever resign yourself over to failure.

We CAN make a difference, if we believe we can do it together!

Thank you

[PJ-nsum]

I am from the United Nations. And we are here to help.

[perrycomeau]

Christiana Figueres knocked sense into me ever since that speech of the Paris agreement. I've added her to the dictionary Change is the age of Aquarius.

[RUdigitized]

When I hear someone use the not-so-buzz-anymore word "Solidarity" I check out.

[bubuzrenald]

la traductrice français est en repos ? The French translater is in pause ?