The leaders of the scientists warning group are in the process of getting together a major event next summer. It should get worldwide attention. The prospectus of the planned event is below.
Live Aid II – SOS Save the World
Dr. William J. Ripple, Director, Alliance of World Scientists and Dr. Alison Green, Director, Scientists Warning UK
The 1985 ‘Live Aid’ concert was a watershed moment for humanity, showing how an event could successfully channel compassion and raise money. Minds, hearts, bodies and souls united to try to avert a humanitarian crisis. Today, we face a planetary crisis that is the defining issue of our times, yet awareness is not growing nearly fast enough. ‘Live Aid II’ responds to this urgent need.
Climate breakdown is happening much faster than many expected. It is more severe than scientists anticipated and is threatening natural ecosystems and even the fate of humanity. Sir David Attenborough has said, “The future of all life on this planet depends on our willingness to take action now.” We need to raise awareness of this climate crisis immediately if we are to stand a chance of halting untold human misery.
Live Aid II will be either a summer outdoor concert or a series of back-to-back concerts around the world and will be offered during the summer of 2020 on the 35th anniversary of the 1985 Live Aid concert. Sponsors and promoters will decide on the location and number of venues. Performers will be asked to donate their time. In addition to tens of thousands of attendees, hundreds of millions of people will be able to participate online and on television.
The main objective of Live Aid II is to raise awareness and educate about climate breakdown and the ecological crisis, and how we can respond. Every person attending or watching will have their worldview changed. Performances will start with a dispatches video, documenting climate breakdown in action around the globe. Performers may share their feelings about the existential crisis we face and make calls on how we need “all hands on deck”. We plan to build inter-generational awareness and connections, such that the voices of the young are empowered to use their perspectives as levers for change. Those with power, money, status and privilege then need to accept some responsibility and use their own levers to commit to advocating for transformative change. This event transcends the various activist movements, and Live Aid II will not be affiliated with any one movement in particular.
We will include teach-outs and drop-in eco-anxiety sessions, so people can learn about the climate and ecological crises and receive support for anxiety. We will run sessions where people can learn how to construct a simple solar charger to power their mobile phones. We will use satellite imagery to illustrate the scale and rate of deforestation, for example, and use this information to seek pledges to fund reforestation. We will encourage people to download apps that measure and help reduce their carbon footprint, and we will run some online experiments that show how much energy can be saved by simple measures, such as switching off lights and reducing speed. The venue will provide catering outlets where people can sample and learn to cook plant-based foods rather than meat because collectively what we eat has a huge effect on the climate and environment.
During some of the musical breaks, famous actors, artists and musicians, well-known scientists, spiritual leaders and striking students will make calls for unified action along selected themes. The voices of the children will be a focus. The School Climate Strike actions and the student’s voices (Greta Thunberg) are the ones that will endure and resonate. A major event involving many famous musicians, a few big-name actors & scientists, and some student activists would be inspiring and affirming. The event will foster international cooperation to fight the climate crisis. Brian May of Queen is supporting the idea of Live Aid II https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/07/us/live-aid-for-climate-change-trnd/index.html
