Private jets, superyachts and red carpet speeches… when celebrities champion climate action, do they help the cause or expose their own hypocrisy? It’s a question worth asking again, as Prince William announces that the 2025 Earthshot Prize ceremony will be held in Brazil – a star-studded prelude to the UN climate summit set to take place there months later.
In a promotional video this month, David Beckham, Cate Blanchett and Heidi Klum lent their celebrity clout to the cause, calling for urgent action to protect the planet’s ecosystems.
Initiatives such as Earthshot aim to link visibility with concrete action – but critics say star-led campaigns can just as easily blur the lines between advocacy and image management.
“At what point do celebrities carry a message of restraint?” asks political scientist Florent Gougou, of Sciences Po, who studies public opinion and climate awareness. “Their travel is anything but restrained. Their lifestyle is anything but restrained.”
He points to the example of Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton: “He’s vegan, OK. But at the same time, he flies around the world to race high-emission cars. That kind of inconsistency damages the message.”
Words versus actions
Few Hollywood actors are as publicly committed to the environment as Leonardo DiCaprio.
But critics point to a gap between DiCaprio’s messaging and his lifestyle. Photos of him holidaying on yachts that burn hundreds of litres of diesel per hour are regular tabloid fare.
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