Australian screen legend Russell Crowe last night delivered a concise summary of Australia’s climate crisis, using a video message during the Fire Fight Australia benefit concert to beg viewers to please, please accept the science of climate change.
Over the better part of three minutes, the actor conceded that science is an ongoing process, but said experts in the field have reached a consensus over humanity’s contributions to a changing climate through carbon emissions.
We already knew that. Still, hearing it from Rusty was pretty alright.
“Ultimately, there’s only one way to mitigate climate change, and that is to step away from all fossil fuels on a rapid timeline, and to convert the entire country and economy to renewable forms of energy,” Crowe said.
“Industry, houses, cars, exports, electrify what we can with systems and technologies that already exist.”
The fella then espoused the need for structural change, not just personal decisions – which is something I’ve actually been pretty focused on for a while, too.
“It is time to act,” he said. “Let’s lead the way.”
@russellcrowe talks the recent bush fire crisis.#FireFightAustralia pic.twitter.com/HTb93p1bYr
— Foxtel (@Foxtel) February 16, 2020
The clip has been given a second life through social media, racking up over 100,000 views across Twitter and Facebook since it hit the air last night.
It’s received a bevy of support – to an extent. As with any and all messaging about climate change, the crux of Crowe’s clip has been disputed by the same immoveable naysayers.
Here’s hoping there’s some diehard A Beautiful Mind fan out there who was just waiting for the Academy Award-winner to sell them on the gravity of the crisis.
