Celebrities Combating Climate Change
Details: Written by Eleanor Lodge
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Published:
As our world leaders enter the second week of COP26, the rich and famous from around the globe have been pledging their allegiance to the climate action cause.
Let’s take a look at some of the things celebrities are doing to take on this fight:
Prince Charles:
Prince Charles has positioned himself as a climate change campaigner since February 1970, where he gave his first speech on the issues. After over 50 years of championing action for a sustainable future, he’s done loads to help the cause. From launching the Sustainable Markets Initiative to promoting sustainable housing developments, purchasing only sustainable timber products for the Royal household and speaking at numerous events.
In 2017 the Prince of Wales was awarded The GCC Global Leader of Change Award for outstanding contribution to global environmental preservation and protection!
Read more about Prince Charles’ work here.
The Queen:
After holding a keynote speech in the first week of COP26, where she urged world leaders to work “side-by-side” to fight this battle, The Queen has made her commitment to the cause clear.
During her reign, the Queen has planted more than 1,500 trees all over the world. Similarly, the recent announcement of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) project is now encouraging people across the UK to plant a tree next year to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
Prince William:
After giving numerous climate action speeches, Prince William has recently launched the groundbreaking Earthshot prize with David Attenborough. This campaign will see £50m awarded to projects for restoring nature and taking on the climate crisis across the next decade.
Leonardo DiCaprio:
The poster boy for celebrity climate action, Leonardo DiCapiro has been championing climate initiatives since the 1990’s. In 1998, DiCaprio launched his own environmental foundation called the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation, which has supported wildlife, marine life, climate change initiatives and indigenous rights for over 20 years. The foundation supports over 35 innovative conservation projects around the world, protecting fragile ecosytems and key species.
Read more about Leornado DiCaprio's work here.
Greta Thunberg:
Made famous by her commitment to the climate cause, Greta Thunberg is the face of youth climate action on a global scale. Thunberg has organised climate strikes, encouraged teens and adults to stage school walk outs, given powerful speeches to world leaders and donated hundreds of thousands of pounds into climate action causes. In 2019 Thunberg was named as one of the world’s most influential people by Time magazine.
World Banks:
Championed by former central banker Mark Carney, more than 450 banks representing 40% of the world’s financial assets have now pledged to meet the climate goals set in the Paris climate agreement.
The commitment means that $130 trillion of assets now belong to the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, to be invested into science-based projects to reach net zero carbon emission by the mid century.
This breathtaking commitment was described as “historic” by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, and will undeniably alter the course of the climate change fight.
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