200 stars urge 'serious' action on climate change in letter to Le Monde

Authored by france24.com and submitted by Wagamaga
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Two hundred of the world’s most prominent artists and scientists signed an open letter in French daily Le Monde on Monday calling for urgent political action to address the “global catastrophe” facing mankind and other species.

The letter, penned by actress Juliette Binoche and astrophycist Aurélien Barrau, called on politicians to act “firmly and immediately” in tackling climate change and the “collapse of biodiversity”, described as the “greatest challenge in the history of mankind”.

“It is time to get serious,” the signatories said. “The sixth mass extinction is taking place at unprecedented speed. But it is not too late to avert the worst.”

The letter said it was up to politicians to take all necessary measures, however unpopular they may be.

Binoche was joined by fellow French actresses Isabelle Adjani, Marion Cotillard and Catherine Deneuve as well as artist Anish Kapoor; actors Bradley Cooper, Willem Defoe, Ethan Hawke, Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Charlotte Rampling and John Tuturro; directors David Cronenberg and Wim Wenders; and many others.

Prominent scientists who signed on included astrophysicist Françoise Combes, climatologist Jean Jouzel, mathematician Mikhaïl Gromov and physicist Carlo Rovelli.

The letter comes as French President Emmanuel Macron is under pressure to do more to deliver on his green promises after his high-profile ecology minister, Nicolas Hulot, suddenly resigned, citing his disappointment with progress on the environment.

A popular figure, Hulot resigned live on-air during a radio interview last week, saying he felt "all alone" in the government on environmental issues and blasting lobbies and big business for hindering the fight against climate change.

200 celebrities call for 'serious' action to save the planet

CaptainSlendy on September 3rd, 2018 at 20:14 UTC »

You can sign all you want but until those in charge learn to fear the people that they govern there will never be change.

Edit: In all honesty I do believe that it will eventually come down to violence against our politicians (US). Why? Well between the lies surrounding healthcare, cost of living continuing to rise but wages stay the same while college is bankrupting people, constant blatant corruption such as Pai with NN and how the Democratic party completely fucked over Bernie, and just the obvious signs that our government doesn't really give a shit about it's citizens but about themselves and their bank accounts.

Eventually there will come a point when all the people desperately grasping at the base necessities to live will be unable to and when a vast amount of Americans have nothing left to lose they'll take everything they can from the politicians that blatantly and shamelessly robbed them.

Wagamaga on September 3rd, 2018 at 19:09 UTC »

Two hundred of the world’s most prominent artists and scientists signed an open letter in French daily Le Monde on Monday calling for urgent political action to address the “global catastrophe” facing mankind and other species. The letter, penned by actress Juliette Binoche and astrophycist Aurélien Barrau, called on politicians to act “firmly and immediately” in tackling climate change and the “collapse of biodiversity”, described as the “greatest challenge in the history of mankind”.

“It is time to get serious,” the signatories said. “The sixth mass extinction is taking place at unprecedented speed. But it is not too late to avert the worst.”

The letter said it was up to politicians to take all necessary measures, however unpopular they may be.

Binoche was joined by fellow French actresses Isabelle Adjani, Marion Cotillard and Catherine Deneuve as well as artist Anish Kapoor; actors Bradley Cooper, Willem Defoe, Ethan Hawke, Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Charlotte Rampling and John Tuturro; directors David Cronenberg and Wim Wenders; and many others.

Prominent scientists who signed on included astrophysicist Françoise Combes, climatologist Jean Jouzel, mathematician Mikhaïl Gromov and physicist Carlo Rovelli.

https://www.france24.com/en/20180903-climate-change-environment-letter-artists-scientists-le-monde-binoche-france

April_Fabb on September 3rd, 2018 at 18:54 UTC »

A big part of the problem is that the majority of people in key positions are more interested in their career and personal (or regional/national-) wealth than the wellbeing of the planet. Furthermore, few people in the western world would want to downgrade their living standard - combined with the belief that their individual decision won't have a huge impact anyway. It's sad, but most of us need a very (unpleasant) dramatical experience before we actually change our individual and collective behaviour.