US actor Leonardo DiCaprio smiles as he was awarded the Crystal Awards during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 19. The world’s political and business elite are being urged to do more than pay lip service to growing inequalities around the world as they head off for the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos this week. AP
DAVOS, Switzerland—Fresh off his Golden Globe win, Leonardo DiCaprio drew ooohs, ahhs and smiles from a crowd as he was honored for his work against the climate crisis at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then he ripped into Big Oil.
The Hollywood star of “The Revenant” traded the North American snows for white Alpine slopes at a ceremony on Tuesday where he announced his foundation was donating another $15 million to environmental projects, and pleaded with business leaders and other notables on hand to help battle climate change.
“We simply cannot allow the corporate greed of the coal, oil and gas industries to determine the future of humanity,” DiCaprio said to polite applause. “Those entities with a financial interest in preserving this destructive system have denied and even covered up the evidence of our changing climate.”
“Enough is enough. You know better. The world knows better. History will place the blame for this devastation squarely at their feet.”
DiCaprio joined rapper and entrepreneur Will.i.am, Danish artist Olafur Eliasson and Chinese actress Yao Chen as laureates of WEF’s culturally-oriented “Crystal Awards.”
In their speeches, both DiCaprio and Will.i.am mentioned Bill Gates—a Davos staple, who is set to take part in a session this Friday. DiCaprio hailed the Microsoft cofounder for his support of a “zero-emissions” future; the hip-hop star imagined the impact on a downtrodden community if a Gates-like entrepreneur were to emerge from one.
Chen, who was said to have 78 million followers on Sina Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, was recognized for her work on behalf of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.