Another music legend has joined the line-up for November’s historic Pathway to Paris Concert for Climate Action in New York.
Singer, songwriter and activist Joan Baez will perform along with Patti Smith, Michael Stipe, Flea, Talib Kweli, Cat Power and more.
The news was confirmed at the United Nations today, during a press conference to preview the concert.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to be part of this event,” said Joan Baez. “Climate change is the issue of our time and it will take all of us – musicians, activists, policymakers and business leaders – to truly make a difference.”
The concert, set to take place at New York’s Carnegie Hall, will also feature speeches and musical performances from Bill McKibben, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Tanya Tagaq, Tenzin Choegyal, and Pathway to Paris founders Rebecca Foon and Jesse Paris Smith.
The role of cities in reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change will be also be front and center at the concert, where Pathway to Paris will unveil further details on the 1000 Cities initiative.
“Pathway to Paris is more than a name – it’s an ideal,” said Rebecca Foon. “Cities have a remarkable and necessary part to play in moving us towards achieving, and possibly even surpassing, the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
Jesse Paris Smith added: “1000 Cities is built on the premise that if 1000 cities come together and commit to becoming 100 percent renewable and transition off fossil fuels by 2040, we can turn the Paris Agreement into action. Pathway to Paris is committed to supporting cities to get there.”
The concert will be the third – and largest – collaboration between Pathway to Paris, 350 org and UNDP on climate action – the first coinciding with the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. Since then, the partners have committed to maintaining momentum and encouraging action.
“The ultimate goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius and, ideally, to keep it below 1.5 degrees,” noted Achim Steiner, Administrator of UNDP. “We need all hands on deck to succeed, which is why I warmly welcome the support of Patti Smith and other music legends. By emphasizing cities and the critical role they can play, our hope is to accelerate action where it is needed and to increase ambition to get to the point where each one of us has made a difference.”
The Pathway to Paris Concert for Climate Action will be held on November 5, 2017, at New York’s Carnegie Hall – the day before the global COP23 climate conference in Bonn, Germany.
Tickets for the concert, can be purchased here.
