AL GORE TO HOST WORLDWIDE CONCERTS

Al Gore Is Saving The World

SYDNEY will host one of a series of worldwide concerts announced today by former US vice-president Al Gore to focus attention on the threat of climate change. The 24-hour event on July 7 will feature a powerhouse lineup of acts from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Snoop Dogg to Bon Jovi with concerts "Live Earth" will take place in Sydney, Shanghai, Johannesburg, London and cities to be announced in Japan, Brazil and the US. Another concert will take place in Antarctica, Mr Gore said. It's hoped Live Earth will trigger a broad movement to address what Mr Gore calls a global climate crisis. "We have to get the message of urgency and hope out," Mr Gore said at a news conference, where he was flanked by actress Cameron Diaz, rapper Pharrell Williams and producer Kevin Wall. "The climate crisis will only be stopped by an unprecedented and sustained global movement. We hope to jumpstart that movement right here, right now, and take it to a new level on July 7, 2007." Promoters said the concerts could reach 2 billion people through attendance or broadcasts. More than 100 performers are scheduled to appear, including the Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Duran Duran, Korn, Pharrell, the Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Details of the line-up in Sydney were not immediately available, but the Australian concert will include local talent. Each concert will last from four to eight hours and at any given time in the 24-hour period two or three shows will be running simultaneously. Proceeds will create a foundation to combat climate change led by The Alliance for Climate Protection, which is chaired by Mr Gore. The Live Earth concerts follow the model of the 1985 Live Aid and 2005 Live8 international concerts organised by Irish rock star Bob Geldof. Live Aid raised money for African famine relief and Live8 sought to pressure world leaders to eradicate the debts of the world's poorest nations. Kevin Wall, executive producer for Live8, said he got the idea of Live Earth after seeing Mr Gore's climate change documentary movie "An Inconvenient Truth" last year. Mr Gore's announcement is expected to bring a surge of publicity for "An Inconvenient Truth," in the run-up to the February 25 Academy Awards. The documentary is competing for two Oscars. Mr Gore is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2008 despite his repeated statements that he is not running. Recently, some former aides met in Boston to discuss a campaign to draft the former vice-president. "I haven't changed my answer about politics," Mr Gore told reporters. "I have no intention of running for president again."

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