Former US Vice President Al Gore, pop star Pharrell Williams and concert producer Kevin Wall today announced a Live Earth music event to demand action on climate change which will take place on June 18 across seven continents, including Antarctica.
The concerts will be staged in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Sydney and Cape Town in what Kevin Wall described as the largest event of its kind ever staged. The other gig will be performed by a band of scientists at a research station on Antarctica.
Two billion people are expected to watch or listen in the 24-hour event across nearly 200 television networks and radio stations. Each concert will run for four to six hours.
Live Earth – The Road to Paris, aims to galvanize public support for climate action ahead of United Nations’ climate talks in Paris in December which is hoped to produce a meaningful global climate change agreement.
“It is absolutely crucial that we build public will for an agreement,” Mr Gore told the World Economic Forum in Davos. “The purpose is to have a billion voices with one message, to demand climate action now.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said ““Live Earth: Road to Paris” will bring us together and amplify our voices. It will help us seize the opportunity of a low-carbon future.”
“The year 2015 must be a time for global action on sustainable development and climate change. In Paris this December, all governments must commit to a meaningful, universal agreement on climate. We can do it. But we must join hands to mobilize finance, move markets and encourage bold action from world leaders. “
The warming of the planet is a major topic at the World Economic Forum, following inter-governmental discussions in Peru last month and ahead of the Paris talks.
Governments agreed in Lima on the building blocks of a new-style deal to combat climate change amid warnings that far tougher action will be needed to limit increases in global temperatures. But most of the hard decisions were postponed until Paris.