Natural disasters such as the ongoing bushfires in Australia will only get worse as global climate change accelerates. These disasters tend to hit poor citizens the hardest, and will make sustainable global growth more challenging. You can join us by taking action on this issue here.
Actor Russell Crowe linked the ongoing fires in Australia to climate change during a speech at the Golden Globe awards on Sunday.
“Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based,” said Jennifer Anniston, reading a statement on behalf of Crowe, who remained in Australia due to the fires.
“We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy, and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is,” he said. “That way, we all have a future."
Jennifer Aniston has read @russellcrowe's acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, where the actor called for climate action. #GoldenGlobes#AustraliaFirespic.twitter.com/AxIkOIietX
— 9Honey Celebrity (@9HoneyCelebrity) January 6, 2020
Australia is currently grappling with the most intense fires it has seen in decades. More than 12 million acres have been burned so far.
Scientists agree that climate change is a major factor in what has made these fires so powerful, according to reports from MIT Technology Review and CBS.
Since first igniting several months ago, these fires have had a devastating effect on Australia. Twenty-four people have died and more than 1,300 homes have been destroyed, according to CNN. The fires have forced schools to close, led to hazardous air quality in Sydney, and caused a massive loss in wildlife.
On a global scale, climate change is a major impediment toward progress on the United Nations Global Goals. Natural disasters, which will get worse as the planet gets hotter, force 26 million people into poverty each year, according to a 2016 study from the World Bank.
Crowe was not the only celebrity to speak up for the environment at the Golden Globes last night. Joaquin Phoenix also called on the crowd to do more to cut back on their own emissions, and Cate Blanchett thanked the volunteer firefighters who have been combating the fires.