Sydney kicks off Live Earth day
July 11th, 2007 by Sam
Sydney and Tokyo have begun a worldwide sequence of Live Earth concerts aimed at raising awareness of climate change.
A total of 150 artists will be performing in nine cities, including London and Washington, over 24 hours.
Among the biggest names on stage are Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, The Police and Garth Brooks.
Live Earth is organised by former US Vice-President Al Gore, who called the concerts a “global response” to a global problem.
Organisers say the concerts will reach an audience of two billion people via TV, radio and online broadcasts.
But critics have said it is hypocritical for performers who fly around the world on tours to push the message of cutting down on carbon emissions.
The Sydney event kicked off with a traditional aboriginal welcome and Al Gore appeared on video screens to launch the worldwide initiative.