Leonardo DiCaprio: Corporate Greed Must Stop

[Oscar]

Leonardo DiCaprio: ‘Enough Is Enough’ Corporate Greed Must Stop

[ http://ecowatch.com/2016/01/20/dicaprio ... 2-85966913 ]

Cole Mellino | January 20, 2016 10:28 am

Leonardo DiCaprio blasted the “corporate greed of the coal, oil and gas industries” [ http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... -is-enough ] in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Tuesday.

DiCaprio was honored along with will.i.am, Yao Chen and Olafur Eliasson for making important contributions to improving the state of the world. He was recognized for his work in tackling climate change through his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation [ http://leonardodicaprio.org/ ] and his position as an UN Messenger of Peace. [ http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/ ... ger-peace/ ]

During his acceptance speech, DiCaprio urged world leaders to do more. “Last month in Paris, world leaders reached a historic agreement that provides a concrete framework to reduce carbon emissions,” he said. “This was an important first step, but we are a long way off from claiming victory in this fight for our future and for the survival of our planet.”

While traveling recently to film a documentary on the impacts of climate change, DiCaprio said he was “astonished to see that ancient glaciers” in Greenland [ http://ecowatch.com/2016/01/06/climate- ... ice-sheet/ ] and the Arctic are “rapidly disappearing well ahead of scientific models.” In India, he saw farmers’ fields devastated by unprecedented flooding. He said we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground [ http://ecowatch.com/2015/12/09/climate- ... in-ground/ ], urged business leaders to divest from fossil fuels [ http://ecowatch.com/2015/09/22/dicaprio ... sil-fuels/ ] and pushed for a rapid transition to renewables. [ http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/ ]

“We simply cannot afford to allow the corporate greed of the coal, oil and gas industries to determine the future of humanity. Those entities with a financial interest in preserving this destructive system have denied and even covered-up the evidence of our changing climate,” he said. [ http://ecowatch.com/2015/12/24/exxon-kn ... l-warming/ ] “Enough is enough. You know better. The world knows better. History will place the blame for this devastation squarely at their feet.”

“Our planet cannot be saved unless we leave fossil fuels in the ground where they belong,” he told the audience. “Twenty years ago, we described this problem as an addiction. Today, we possess the means to end this reliance.

“The challenge before us requires each and every one of us to take action. We owe this to ourselves, but more importantly to the future generations who are counting on us.”

DiCaprio also announced that his foundation is pledging a new commitment of $15 million to environmental projects, including one that protects 6.5 million acres of rainforest on Sumatra in Indonesia from what DiCaprio described as the “invasive and destructive practices” of the palm oil industry. [ http://ecowatch.com/?s=palm+oil ]

Last week, DiCaprio won the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role in The Revenant. In an interview with Charlie Rose prior to the Golden Globe awards ceremony, [ http://ecowatch.com/2016/01/12/dicaprio ... te-action/ ] DiCaprio said the film was a “turning point” in his life and really drove home for him the need to take action on climate change. DiCaprio is nominated for an Oscar for The Revenant, which has 12 Oscar nominations in all—more than any other film this year. [ http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/14/entertain ... ions-2016/ ]

Watch Leonardo DiCaprio’s full speech here:
[ http://ecowatch.com/2016/01/20/dicaprio ... 2-85966913 ]

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Secretary-General designates Leonardo DiCaprio as UN Messenger of Peace

[ http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/ ... ger-peace/

September 16, 2014

New York – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has designated Academy Award-nominated actor and committed environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio, as a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change.

“Mr. DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message,” said Mr. Ban. “I am pleased he has chosen to add his voice to UN efforts to raise awareness of the urgency and benefits of acting now to combat climate change.”

The Secretary-General has invited Mr. DiCaprio to address the UN Climate Summit on 23 September, which is bringing together leaders from government, business, finance and civil society to promote climate action for a healthy planet, sustainable economic growth and better standards of living for all.

The Secretary-General praised DiCaprio’s longstanding commitment to fighting for environmental causes, not least the substantial funds raised and generous grants provided to environmental protection and conservation projects through his foundation.

“It’s an honor to accept the role of UN Messenger of Peace on Climate Change and to support the Secretary General in his efforts to address one of the most important issues we face as a global community,” said Leonardo DiCaprio. “I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history – it is a moment for action. How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet.”

In 1998, DiCaprio established the “Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation,” with the mission of protecting the Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions to build a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world. Since that time DiCaprio has worked on some of the most pressing environmental and humanitarian issues of our day. Through grant making, public campaigning and media projects, he has brought attention and needed funding to three focus areas — protecting biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change.

Mr. DiCaprio will join 11 other United Nations Messengers of Peace and one Goodwill Ambassador who advocate on behalf of the United Nations on a variety of priority issues for the Organization.

Messengers of Peace are individuals who possess widely recognized talents in the fields of art, film, literature, music and sports, helping to raise worldwide awareness of the Organization’s ideals and activities. Through their public appearances, contacts with the international media and humanitarian work, they expand public understanding of how the United Nations helps to improve the lives of people everywhere.

Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

Since 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has built longstanding relationships with environmental leaders and experts, staying continually engaged and active on the most pressing issues of our day – protecting biodiversity, oceans and forest conservation, and climate change.

The Foundation’s strategic approach to philanthropy relies upon key partnerships with effective environmental organizations and active collaboration with other funders that share the Foundation’s goals and can magnify its impact. Efforts are directed in two areas – providing grants to innovative, results-driven initiatives and media efforts that inspire the public to make a difference in the fight to protect our planet for future generations. For more information visit: http://www.leonardodicaprio.org The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is a component fund of the California Community Foundation.

Further information about the Messengers of Peace is available at [ http://outreach.un.org/mop/ ].

For further information, please contact Jeffrey Brez, tel. + 1 212 963 8070, e-mail: brez@un.org or Carlos Islam, tel. + 1 212-963-2985, e-mail: islamc@un.org.

For media accreditation, please visit http://www.un.org/media/accreditation or contact Isabelle Boyer, tel. + 1 212 963-6937, fax + 1 212 963-4642, e-mail malu@un.org

16 September 2014