VIDEO: Live Earth 2015: Road to Paris campaign launched in Davos

Former US vice president Al Gore has teamed up with US hit maker Pharrell Williams to announce a series of concerts in a campaign to raise awareness of climate change ahead of UN Climate talks in Paris in December.


The pair were joined today (21 January) by producer Kevin Wall in Davos at the World Economic Forum to announce Live Earth 2015 – a series of seven concerts across all seven continents as part of what Wall said was “probably the largest campaign ever launched on the planet”.

The aim of the campaign is to unite a billion voices in a single message to the leaders convening in December; to take action on climate change now.

The concerts will be staged on June 18 in China, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, New York, and Paris, with each concert lasting between four and six hours. An audience of 2 billion is hoped to tune in through the largest television, digital and radio network ever created.

100 artists

Although Live Earth 2015 was originally only planned to span six continents, a seventh has been organised in Antartica since the promotional ‘Live Earth: Road to Paris 2015’ promotional video was made.

Williams was also named as creative director today having been heavily involved in the creative team of Live Earth in 2007. Commenting on the expected 100 artist line-up he said: “Instead of just having people perform, we literally are going to have humanity harmonise all at once.” Williams also described the campaign as being a “moment for our species.”

Wall said: “The power of music is unique, because it’s borderless, without language, Pharrell will use that power. When you combine music with a message, you can effect change.”

The first Live Earth event in 2007 was also organised by Gore and Wall and saw more than 150 acts perform in 11 locations around the world. The concerts were broadcast to more than 130 countries.

Lucinda Dann

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