Music superstars Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish and H.E.R. will team with advocacy nonprofit Global Citizen for a free concert in front of the Eiffel Tower designed to convince world leaders to take further action against climate change.
BԪַPower Our Planet: Live in ParisBԪַ is set for June 22 to coincide with the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, a gathering of the worldBԪַs political and business leaders to help developing nations finance sustainability projects.
Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans says the summit is an opportunity for governments and global banks to collaborate to jump start climate projects stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. He hopes BԪַPower Our PlanetBԪַ will encourage leaders to take advantage of that opportunity and provide the $16.7 billion in promised in 2009 to lower-income countries. He is also seeking to advance reforms at the World Bank to make up to $1 trillion in additional financing available.
BԪַGlobal leaders and democratically elected governments really only respond to the momentum of their people and summits like this can come and go,BԪַ Evans told The Associated Press. BԪַIf it doesnBԪַt achieve its goal, weBԪַre going to miss the window this year to make the climate negotiations the success, which is even more important after last yearBԪַs .BԪַ
The Eiffel Tower event is part of the Global Citizen initiative, announced last month at the Global Citizen NOW conference in New York, supporting to rewrite the rules of global development banks and relieve the debts of lower-income countries to increase funding for climate adaptation projects.
Global Citizen has shown for years, especially with its , that it can generate action by having cultural leaders mobilize their supporters. And artists like Kravitz plan to motivate fans to BԪַact today to save tomorrow.BԪַ
BԪַThe next generation are inheriting a planet thatBԪַs being devastated by climate change,BԪַ Kravitz said in a statement. BԪַWe have the power to change things with our voices and our actions.BԪַ
French President Emmanuel Macron supports the Global Citizen event, citing the need for BԪַa world with more solidarity.BԪַ
BԪַCrises are multiplying and the number of those who place their hope in peace and multilateralism will only grow if we, as a global community, demonstrate that we are there to help the most vulnerable,BԪַ Macron said in a statement. BԪַBecause there will be no climate transition worldwide if we donBԪַt fight for more justice and equity.BԪַ
Major philanthropic organizations BԪַ including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Rotary International, and Open Society Foundations BԪַ as well as the public-private partnership Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, will also support the effort.
BԪַPower Our Planet: Live in Paris,BԪַ which will also include performances from Finneas, Jon Batiste, and Ben Harper, will be livestreamed on Global CitizenBԪַs social media platforms, while Amazon Music will host the livestream on its Twitch channel.
Glenn Gamboa, The Associated Press
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