Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, with millions of followers on social media, and a platform like no other, celebrities have the power to highlight these issues and influence real change. Here are some celebrities that are using their platforms for good to voice concerns over climate change:
Billie Eilish
At only 17, Billie Eilish began voicing her concerns about climate change through the release of her video for ‘All the good girls go to hell’. The video depicts a winged Eilish, covered in what appears to be thick, black oil, stumbling through a burning street and singing about rising waters and California Wildfires. In the video’s description, she posted an additional note warning that time is running out.
She then joined Woody Harrelson to make a video statement, which features them talking straight to camera, while footage of devastation wreaked by accelerated climate change plays. “Our Earth is warming up and our oceans are rising,” she begins. “Extreme weather is wrecking millions of lives.” The pair call for support of environmental movements such as Greenpeace and Fridays for Future, alongside leaders campaigning for environmental change.
In 2020, the singer announced her plans to continue her stand against climate change by partnering with non-profit organisation Reverb to create environmentally friendly live music experiences. All of Eilish’s venues offered water stations for both concertgoers and backstage crew, and fans were allowed to bring refillable water bottles to the shows. She also banned plastic straws from the tour, and a Billie Eilish “Eco-Village” was stationed at each show to give attendees more information on how to join in on the battle. When announcing the tour, she ran a giveaway in which fans could head to Eilish’s Global Citizen page to “learn more about environmental issues”, and sign up to win tickets to her sold out shows, including four nights at London’s O2 Arena.
When it comes to the battle to save our planet, this likely won’t be the last we hear from Eilish.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio set up his own foundation in 1998, dedicated to the protection and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants. The foundation has since funded over 200 projects around the world and awarded $100million in grants!
As well as doing various talks and speeches about the matter, the actor has dedicated his Instagram account to spreading the word about climate change, sharing posts covering a variety of different issues all related to climate change to his near 50 million followers. Most recently DiCaprio showed his support for activist Greta Thunberg, sharing a picture of them both with the caption “She and I have made a commitment to support one another, in hopes of securing a brighter future for our planet.”
Jane Fonda
Legendary actress Jane Fonda has been an activist for a long time and is known for leading rallies in the US. The star spent her 82nd birthday at a protest in Washington DC, resulting in her being arrested for the 5th time as part of her ongoing climate change march. Fonda has been protesting weekly during her ‘Fire Drill Fridays’ since announcing she was moving to Washington “to be closer to the epicentre of the fight for our climate.”
As a political activist for decades, Fonda has made it clear she intends to do whatever it takes to get her point across.
Sir David Attenborough
Attenborough is one of the most notable climate change activists in history. He began his journey at 28-years-old when he convinced his bosses at the BBC to let him travel the world and document his explorations. He has since spent and dedicated his life to the cause.
The naturalist has produced various impactful series and documentaries such as Our Planet, Blue Planet, and more recently the BBC’s “Climate Change — The Facts,”. Attenborough has spoken at the UN sponsored climate talks in Poland, the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, and at the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, and has worked with a variety of celebrities to further his advocacy.
BLACKPINK
The superstar K-Pop group have recently started using their massive platform to speak out about climate change. They’ve repurposed their catchphrase “Blackpink in your area,” to “Climate action in your area,” and have released videos discussing the importance of learning more and getting involved.
The group were named promotional ambassador for 2021’s COP26 conference, according to their label YG entertainment. BLACKPINK also reportedly received a personal letter from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who thanked the group for their advocacy. “Your recent video ‘Climate Action in Your Area #COP26’ was a huge success, being viewed over 10million times across social media platforms,” Johnson wrote, according to The Korean Herold “Climate change is the most important issue of our time… it is fantastic that you have chosen this moment to lend your voices to this critical issue.”
Lorde
The singer has called on world leaders to take urgent action on tackling climate change, after a trip to Antarctica allowed her to view the crisis first-hand. “The heated global discourse around climate change was coming to a furious, bubbling head. The Trump administration had the previous year announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris agreement. In August, Swedish 15-year-old Greta Thunberg painted her simple sign and, taking a seat outside her nation’s parliament, mobilized a generation of passionate youths desperate for climate-protecting law reform.”
Upon the release of her new album ‘Solar Power’, the singer opted out of releasing physical CD’s due to the environmental concerns around them, instead decided to release an eco-conscious Music Box with handwritten notes, exclusive photos, and a download card.
Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg is one of the most recognizable climate change activists in the world.
At only 17 years old, she led the largest climate strike in history, where millions of people walked out of school and work in 2019 to protest against climate change. She then famously delivered a speech to leaders of the UN in 2019 for not doing enough to combat the environmental crisis, making headlines around the world and sparking conversation about the matter.
As well as being awarded Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2019, Ms Thunberg has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize for her tremendous work to fight climate change.