How a Marine Biologist turned Climate Pirate | Dr. Franziska Elmer | TEDxLuzern

There are places on Earth that have been visited by almost as few people as have gone to Space. Franziska has been to one of these locations, Palmyra Atoll, a nature refuge in the middle of the Pacific. In her talk, she will take you to the incredible places she visited as marine biologist and tell you why she gave up this lifestyle to fight for climate justice. As marine biologists, she cares deeply about our natural world, but almost all opportunities to advance her career come with a large carbon footprint that harms the coral reefs she studies. As the climate crisis became more serious she could not live with this contradiction anymore. Motivated by the fact that 2018-2030 will likely become the most important years in human history, she started to act more boldly. Never before have we had to tackle such an immense challenge. After 2030 we will often be asked by the younger generations: “Which role did you play in this important time?” Franziska has found her role: as a climate pirate. There are places on Earth that have been visited by almost as few people as have gone to Space. Franziska has been to one of these locations, Palmyra Atoll, a nature refuge in the middle of the Pacific. In her talk she will take you to the incredible places she visited as marine biologist and tell you why she gave up this lifestyle to fight for climate justice. Her motivation comes from the fact that 2018-2030 will likely become among the most important years in human history. Never before have we had to tackle such an immense challenge. After 2030 we will often be asked by the younger generations: “Which role did you play in this important time?” Franziska has found her role as a climate pirate. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at