Several internationally renowned artists, including Jamaica’s Sean Paul and Benin’s
Angelique Kidjo, have released a song urging world leaders to reach an
effective global accord during the next United Nations climate conference
taking place Nov. 30 - Dec. 11 in Paris.
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| Jamaican singer-rapper Sean Paul. |
The track, titled “Love Song to the Earth”, is now available for download from iTunes and Apple
Music.
The UN said
that the artists, producers and directors of the song – as well as Apple – are
donating their respective proceeds to environmental group Friends of the Earth
US and to the UN Foundation.
With vocals too from Paul McCartney, Leona Lewis and Jon Bon Jovi, among others, the song “aims
to reach new audiences with the message that the time to act on climate change
is now”, the UN added.
Listeners are
encouraged to share the song and to sign a petition that will be delivered to
world leaders at the beginning of the climate summit.
The
initiative is part of an international rallying of artists ahead of the conference (COP 21), where 195 states will try to reach a universal accord on
reducing carbon emissions to curb global warming.
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| President Hollande (Photo: SWAN) |
The French government also launched its own mobilization on Sept. 10, with filmmakers,
musicians and others participating in a high-profile ceremony at the Élysée Palace,
the official presidential residence.
With his top
ministers in attendance, French President François Hollande emphasized his
commitment to making COP 21 a success, but he also warned about the possibility
of failure.
“There is no
miracle … there is a chance we’ll succeed but also a great risk we might fail,”
Hollande said.
To avoid
failure, all sectors of the society have to get involved, including artists,
the president added.
Spearheading
some of France’s cultural happenings is a group called ArtCOP21, which plans to
“stage city-wide events that address climate as a people’s challenge and work
to create a cultural blueprint of positive and sustainable change”.
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| Pharrell Williams (Photo: courtesy of Live Earth) |
The group’s
director, Lauranne Germond, said that sometimes artists can connect with those
that politicians can’t reach.
On Sept. 19,
Paris was scheduled to host a huge public concert in front of the Eiffel Tower as part
of “Live Earth: Road to Paris” – a movement co-founded by former U.S. Vice President
Al Gore, with singer Pharrell Williams as creative director.
The event would've come 30 years after Live Aid, when artists mobilized massively to raise funds for millions
of people affected by famine in Africa.
But the show has reportedly been cancelled, although Live Earth’s organizers are still urging that "now is the time to deliver a single message to world
leaders: Take Climate Action Now.”
Watch "Love Song to the Earth": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSnOXbaXzfM
Watch "Love Song to the Earth": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSnOXbaXzfM
