Leading environmental activist Al Gore announced on Thursday a Live Aid-style series of simultaneous global concerts to raise awareness about climate change.
Four cities have already been confirmed to host the Live Earth concerts on July 7 - Sydney, Shanghai, Johannesburg and London. Cities in the United States, Brazil and Japan will also take part. In an attempt to involve all seven of the world's continents, there are also plans to stage a performance Antarctica.The event is expected to be broadcast to a worldwide audience of 2 billion. Acts already announced include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Snoop Dogg. There will of course be a raft of local talent performing at each city.
"In order to solve the climate crisis, we have to reach billions of people," Gore said. "We are launching SOS [the Save Our Selves campaign, the climate change equivalent of Make Poverty History] and Live Earth to begin a process of communication that will mobilize people all over the world to take action.
The former presidential candidate continued, "The climate crisis will only be stopped by an unprecedented and sustained global movement. We hope to jump-start that movement right here, right now, and take it to a new level on July 7, 2007."
