Here's How Celebrities Embraced Climate Discussions at the U.N. General Assembly

The 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly (or #UNGA if you’re Twitter) got off to a flying start last week, with a primary focus on two key issues: pandemic recovery and environmental action. The agenda included the General Assembly’s first global meeting on renewable energy since 1981, and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated definitively last Tuesday: “The war on our planet must end.”

The gathering of more than a hundred world leaders and diplomats to discuss climate change and other environmental matters, of course prompted a variety of celebrities to chime in and share their viewpoints, too. (Perhaps, not since “Parks and Recreation” dedicated an entire episode to a Model U.N. has the work of the intergovernmental body been so thoroughly absorbed and regurgitated by pop culture in so short a space of time.)

Here’s a handy roundup of what some of the non-politicians — hosts of late night, BTS, and Camila Cabello among them — had to say for themselves about the climate last week.

BTS performs at the U.N.

Probably the most high profile — and, let’s be honest, bizarre — clash of policy and pop culture came on Monday when pop superstars BTS gathered on stage at U.N. headquarters a day before the General Assembly officially opened. The singers, dressed in smart suits, appeared as “special presidential envoys of the Republic of Korea.”

After an introduction by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the boy band spoke of gratitude, optimism and how caring for nature helped so many young people through COVID-19.

On the plus side, Stephen Colbert had the decency to acknowledge that late night’s dedicated evening of shows was about as likely to stop climate change as Gal Gadot’s version of “Imagine” was to stop COVID-19.

If there was a leader of the pack though, it was Jimmy Kimmel, who brought on actual real-life climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. Kimmel also used his monologue  to share some under-discussed political info. “Joe Biden is on track to approve more oil and gas permits than any year of the Trump administration,” Kimmel said at one point. “And the Democrats in Congress left fossil fuel subsidies in their big climate bill.”

Harry and Meghan attend Global Citizen Live

The Duke and Duchess traveled to New York last week, to attend Saturday’s Global Citizen Live concert in Central Park. The couple’s primary mission was to talk about COVID-19 vaccine accessibility, but the theme of the festival was: “Defend the planet. Defeat poverty.” It featured performances by Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Lopez, Lizzo, and many other special guests. Simultaneous concerts also took place in Paris, Rio, L.A., London, Mumbai, Lagos, Sydney and more, as part of a 24-hour streaming event.

Global Citizen says its mission is to: “call on world leaders, major corporations, and foundations” to combat “catastrophic climate change.” It seeks to secure commitment from governments and other powerful leaders to reach net zero emissions; “conserve, restore and grow” more trees; and “for the wealthiest nations to deliver on their promise to give $100 billion annually to address the climate needs of developing countries.”

Nothing too ambitious, then.

How useful celebrity interventions can possibly be when it comes to a crisis of this magnitude is impossible to say. But, look on the bright side. At least they gave us something to look at last week that featured neither fire nor flooding.