It is being billed as the concert that will awaken the world to the dangers of climate change. It took Bob Geldof’s persuasive powers to rally support in aid of Africa.

Now, over twenty years after the first Live Aid concert, Al Gore is hoping to help to save the planet with a day of global concerts designed to raise awareness of climate change.

More than 100 acts will take part on five continents in the Live Earth event, scheduled to take place on July 7. The organisers hope to reach an audience of two billion people via television, radio and the internet.

Some of the hottest bands and artists around will perform. Madonna, the Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Eyed Peas and the reformed Genesis are all scheduled to play.

Mr Gore said: “By attracting an audience of billions, we hope that Live Earth will launch a global campaign giving a critical mass of people around the world the tools they need to help to solve the climate crisis.”

But critics are raising eyebrows at the $2m to $3m (£1.1m to £1.6m) that the event is expected to cost in carbon offsetting, with more and more blogs on the web said to be criticising the event. People are asking if pop stars and their taste for conspicuous consumption are the best advocates for cutting fossil fuel emissions.

So we want to hear from you: do people think Live Earth is a good idea? Come on, lets get a debate going…..

2 Comments

  • Certainly it’s a good idea, in the same vein as earlier Farm Aid concerts. This feigned unhappiness on the part of detractors with regard to “carbon costs” is less than a smokescreen.

    How many of these artists will never travel again? Are we certain this will be the last time several bands go to the ends of the earth in pursuit of their profession? If they didn’t travel, they would have no living, and no one would be interested in hearing them.

    The point is to remind people of their responsibilities to take care of themselves and the planet. If that takes some travel on the part of the reminders, how is that a bad thing, given the alternatives?

    No action taken would be horrendous. The complainers need to get lives *and* take care of the planet.

  • It would be very interesting to know what the cost of jet fuel, bottled water, travel, cars, hotel expenses, lighting, special effects, laundry, shipping equipment, food shipped, etc. for these super stars for the “live earth” extravaganza. How much carbon exchanges does that cost the planet? These superstars that advertise for Escalade, Hummers, 10,000sq ft houses, huge gold chains, etc. cannot be taken seriously about any type of environmentalism.

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