NEW YORK (September 23, 2021)—A group of more than 60 artists from across the entertainment industry sent a letter to the nation’s top entertainment companies, urging them to use their voice to call on Congress to seize a historic opportunity to pass the most ambitious climate change agenda in U.S. history this fall.
The artists joined forces with the NRDC Action Fund to urge executives at Access Industries (Warner Music Group), Alphabet (Google, YouTube), Amazon, Apple, AT&T (Warner Media), Comcast, Discovery, Facebook, Fox, Netflix, Sony, ViacomCBS, Vivendi (Universal Music Group), and Walt Disney to lead the industry and use their influence to demand our representatives in Congress invest in a more clean, just, and equitable future for all by passing President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
“Climate change is threatening our communities and future—the time to act is now to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis,” said Camila Cabello. “Entertainment companies have the opportunity to show leadership and push Congress to enact bold action on climate. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect our communities, create a just transition away from fossil fuels, and create millions of new jobs.”
Read the letter in full here.
The letter, initiated in partnership with Camila Cabello, is signed by artists including, J.J. Abrams, Anitta, Jack Antonoff, Troian Bellisario, Greg Berlanti, Cate Blanchett, Benny Blanco, Dove Cameron, Alessia Cara, Don Cheadle, Glenn Close, Coldplay, Jacob Collier, Lily Collins, James Corden, Ellen DeGeneres, Cara Delevingne, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billie Eilish, Chris Evans, Jimmy Fallon, Finneas, Selena Gomez, Conan Gray, Todrick Hall, Hugh Jackman, Jimmy Kimmel, Joey King, Liza Koshy, Lady Gaga, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Adam Levine, Dave Burd aka Lil Dicky, Kevin Liles, Dua Lipa, Lorde, Chuck Lorre, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, Idina Menzel, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sean Penn, Joaquin Phoenix, Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, Addison Rae, Robert Redford, Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ronson, Kyra Sedgwick, Shakira, Lilly Singh, Troye Sivan, Barbra Streisand, Wes Studi, Ryan Tedder, Justin Timberlake, Kerry Washington, Sigourney Weaver, Shailene Woodley, and Calum Worthy.
This summer alone, nearly one in every three people in the United States experienced an extreme weather event. Low-income people and communities of color are being hit first and worst. Scientists warn that if we fail to act now, the worst effects of climate change will become inevitable here and across the world. Major cities will become uninhabitable, and food and water will become regionally scarce, resulting in the displacement of more than one billion people.
“People are seeing the impacts of climate change first-hand, from climate-fueled wildfires, to floods and storms,” said Julia Louis-Dreyfus, actor and NRDC board member. “We cannot wait longer to act and we must use our voices to demand that our government leaders pass President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.”
Legislation pending before Congress is the best chance at meeting the urgency of the moment. Not only will it curb the pollution fueling the crisis, but it will protect people’s health and create millions of jobs in the process.
The entertainment industry has a long history of pushing our nation forward on key societal issues. This is an opportunity to lead the way once again.
“These are the tastemakers of our time—and in moments like these they have an opportunity to be the changemakers, too,” said Manish Bapna, President and CEO of the NRDC Action Fund. “What started as an idea by Camila Cabello has exploded into a clarion call from entertainers overnight to take action. Congress holds in its hands our best chance at combating our biggest environmental challenge yet. We need all hands on deck to make sure they seize it, and these industry leaders can play a critical role in making sure that they do.”
###
