Kelly Wanser helps study and invent global-scale technological interventions that could save humanity from the worst effects of climate change.

Why you should listen

Kelly Wanser is founder and executive director of SilverLining, a nonprofit organization driving policy and innovation to ensure a safe climate within a decade. SilverLining focuses on near-term climate risk and advancing our understanding of fast-acting climate interventions (sometimes called "geoengineering") that might alleviate the most severe impacts.

Wanser is cofounder and advisor to the University of Washington Marine Cloud Brightening Project, an effort to understand one possible form of climate intervention: the cooling effects of particles on clouds. Wanser also serves on the board of BioCarbon Engineering -- a company using data and automation (including drone technology) to restore native ecosystems -- and on the President's Circle of the US National Academy of Sciences.

Kelly Wanser’s TED talk

More news and ideas from Kelly Wanser

Live from TEDSummit 2019

Is geoengineering a good idea? A brief Q&A with Kelly Wanser and Tim Flannery

September 23, 2019

As we recklessly warm the planet by pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, some industrial emissions also produce particles that reflect sunshine back into space, putting a check on global warming that we’re only starting to understand. In her talk at TEDSummit 2019, “Emergency medicine for our climate fever,” climate activist Kelly Wanser asked: Can […]

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Live from TEDSummit 2019

Anthropo Impact: Notes from Session 2 of TEDSummit 2019

July 22, 2019

Session 2 of TEDSummit 2019 is all about impact: the actions we can take to solve humanity’s toughest challenges. Speakers and performers explore the perils — from melting glaciers to air pollution — along with some potential fixes — like ocean-going seaweed farms and radical proposals for how we can build the future. The event: […]

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News

A first glimpse at the TEDSummit 2019 speaker lineup

May 21, 2019

With TEDSummit 2019 just two months away, it’s time to unveil the first group of speakers that will take to the stage in Edinburgh, Scotland, from July 21-25. Three years ago, more than 1,000 members of the TED global community convened in Banff, Canada, for the first-ever TEDSummit. We talked about the fracturing state of […]

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