MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Di Caprio addresses the UN on Earth Day and to celebrate the Paris Agreement
“We can congratulate each other, but it will mean absolutely nothing if you return home to your countries and fail to push beyond the promises of this historic agreement.” This year, the United Nations has decided to celebrate Earth Day, 22 April, in a very special way, by signing the Paris Agreement: a landmark climate change accord that came out of negotiations at the COP21 climate summit in Paris last December. This, of course, was extremely great news for climate advocates and ambassadors all over the world, including Oscar-winning actor and UN Messenger of Peace, Leonardo Di Caprio.
While 171 countries have signed the historic agreement on Friday, (surpassing the previous record of 119 signatures for an opening day signing in 1982), there’s no denying that implementing measures and taking action will be the real challenge.
After thanking Secretary General Ban Ki moon for “the honor to address that body once more, the actor and activist began with his speech. “We can congratulate each other today, but it will mean absolutely nothing if you return home to your countries and fail to push beyond the promises of this historic agreement.”
The actor also spoke about the damage we are doing to future generations, and how shameful it is. “Now think about the shame that each of us will carry when our children and grandchildren look back and realize we had the means of stopping this devastation, but simply lacked the political will to do so,” he said.
The actor also insisted that, as hopeful as the agreement is, it will not be enough to save the planet. “Our planet cannot be saved unless we leave fossil fuels in the ground where they belong,” he continued. “No more talk, no more excuses, no more 10-year studies,” he pressured. “Now is the time for bold, unprecedented action.”
“This is the body that can do what is needed, all of you sitting in this very hall. The world is now watching. You will either be lauded by future generations or vilified by them,” the actor said before quoting Abraham Lincoln, who he mentioned at the beginning of his speech, as well.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsHere are some of the “Scientific” predictions from 40 years ago from the same nuts that are talking about Global Warming er ah no Climate change today;
Apr 23rd, 2016 - 01:21 pm 01: “Civilization Will End Within 15 Or 30 Years”
Harvard biologist Dr. George Wald warned shortly before the first Earth Day in 1970 that civilization would soon end “unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” Three years before his projection, Wald was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
2: “100-200 Million People Per Year Will Be Starving To Death During The Next Ten Years”
Stanford professor Dr. Paul Ehrlich declared in April 1970 that mass starvation was imminent. His dire predictions failed to materialize as the number of people living in poverty has significantly declined and the amount of food per person has steadily increased, despite population growth. The world’s Gross Domestic Product per person has immeasurably grown despite increases in population.
3: “Population Will Inevitably And Completely Outstrip Whatever Small Increases In Food Supplies We Make”
Ehrlich also made the above claim in 1970, shortly before an agricultural revolution that caused the world’s food supply to rapidly increase.
4: “Demographers Agree Almost Unanimously … Thirty Years From Now, The Entire World … Will Be In Famine”
Environmentalists in 1970 truly believed in a scientific consensus predicting global famine due to population growth in the developing world, especially in India.
5: “In A Decade, Urban Dwellers Will Have To Wear Gas Masks To Survive Air Pollution”
Life magazine stated in January 1970 that scientist had “solid experimental and theoretical evidence” to believe that “in a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive
7: “By The Year 2000 … There Won’t Be Any More Crude Oil”
On Earth Day in 1970 ecologist Kenneth Watt famously predicted that the world would run out of oil
I suggest you discuss this with your fellow members as well:
Apr 23rd, 2016 - 02:26 pm 0http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/cms/index.php
Regardless of what YOU believe, you will not change what the mass majority believes. Your online rants with do nothing for billions of people on this earth. Maybe you and yours will use the military to force feed your beliefs. You are always so willing to throw out military take overs to those opposing your distorted view of the world. I am quite sure most all who know you are thankful that you are a virtual blowhard online and in reality nothing at all.
91% of Americans don't care about Climate Change.
Apr 23rd, 2016 - 02:31 pm 0Seems like you're in the minority
not me
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!