Kim Stanley Robinson is one of the foremost living writers of speculative fiction, author of nearly twenty books including the “Mars” trilogy, “New York 2140” and the recent global sensation “The Ministry for the Future”. In this powerful work of climate fiction, he addresses the challenge facing humanity and lays out an invigorating vision of how the world might cooperate to overcome it. The novel is structured around a fictional “Ministry for the Future” established under the Paris Agreement and based in Switzerland, and whose mission is to make sure present generations take into account the rights of future generations. The story integrates terrifying descriptions of extreme climate events, accurate scientific research, technological innovations, historical facts, geopolitical tensions, spy-story-like subplots, and an optimistic portrait of humanity’s ability to cooperate.

5:30 pm
Doors open

6:00 pm  
Introduction
Bruno Giussani, Global Curator of TED

6:05 pm 
Opening Address
Martin Vetterli, President of EPFL

6:10 pm 
Campus Lecture
“Do we need a Ministry for the Future?”
Kim Stanley Robinson, Writer of science fiction

6:40 pm 
Q&A
Moderated by Bruno Giussani, the Switzerland-based Global Curator of the TED Conferences

7:30 pm 
End of the event