DiCaprio rips into Big Oil at Davos summit

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has slammed the 'corporate greed' of the coal, oil and gas industries while accepting an award at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

US actor Leonardo DiCaprio reacts upon receiving a Crystal Award during the Crystal Award Ceremony on the eve of the opening of 46th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland.

US actor Leonardo DiCaprio reacts upon receiving a Crystal Award during the Crystal Award Ceremony on the eve of the opening of 46th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland. Source: AAP

Fresh off his Golden Globe win, Leonardo DiCaprio drew ooohs, ahhs and smiles from a crowd as he was honoured for his work against the climate crisis at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Then he ripped into Big Oil.

The Hollywood star of The Revenant on Tuesday announced his foundation was donating another $US15 million ($A21.69 million) to environmental projects, and pleaded with business leaders and other notables on hand to help battle climate change.

"We simply cannot allow the corporate greed of the coal, oil and gas industries to determine the future of humanity," DiCaprio said to polite applause.

"Those entities with a financial interest in preserving this destructive system have denied and even covered up the evidence of our changing climate."

"Enough is enough. You know better. The world knows better.

History will place the blame for this devastation squarely at their feet."

DiCaprio joined rapper and entrepreneur Will.i.am, Danish artist Olafur Eliasson and Chinese actress Yao Chen as laureates of WEF's culturally-oriented Crystal Awards.

In their speeches, both DiCaprio and Will.i.am mentioned Bill Gates - a Davos staple, who is set to take part in a session this Friday. DiCaprio hailed the Microsoft co-founder for his support of a "zero-emissions" future; the hip-hop star imagined the impact on a downtrodden community if a Gates-like entrepreneur were to emerge from one.

Chen, who was said to have 78 million followers on Sina Weibo, China's answer to Twitter, was recognised for her work on behalf of  the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.


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2 min read
Published 20 January 2016 10:42am
Source: AP


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