Canada Joins 40-Plus Countries For Virtual Climate Live Concert

By Karen Bliss

Canada is one of 40-plus countries streaming a simultaneous Climate Live Concert April 24, two days after Earth Day, led by Fridays For Future groups — the organization founded by teen environmental activist Greta Thunberg who inspired 1.6 million youth around the world to stage school strikes.  A second global concert is already scheduled for Oct. 16. Thunberg will also appear on the event, along with other activists and scientists.

"With the pandemic it’s looking like most events will be ticketed, so we can control numbers and social distancing," it states in the FAQ section.  "The tickets will be as cheap as possible and many countries are working on options for people who cannot afford tickets."

The Canadian concert is free and features Barenaked Ladies, Scott Helman, The Weather Station, Dan Mangan, Lia Pappas-Kemps, Whitehorse, Leah & Peter from July Talk, Julian Taylor, Luna Li, The Lifers, Communism, Moscow Apartment, Braden Lam, Veronica Johnny, and The Lifers.

Brighid Fry, 18, of folk-rock duo Moscow Apartment, co-founded Climate Live Canada and the supporting organization Music Declares Emergency Canada.

“Musicians who care about the planet need to be using our platform and influence to talk about this really pressing issue that everyone should be more worried about,” she said in a statement. “Canada is lagging behind almost every country in terms of reducing emissions. We need to change that. We can also push for the music industry to build back better and address the climate crisis by putting sustainability at the centre of the industry’s recovery. I’m hoping Climate Live can be a tipping point for making bold action politically necessary across our country and the world.”

Later this year, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26 — 26th United Nations Climate Change conference — will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 1-12, during which the government will renew their Paris Agreement pledges and “The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.” – You can read Karen Bliss’s feature story in full at the Samaritanmag website.