Why is Leonardo DiCaprio at COP26? The actor’s appearance at Glasgow climate summit explained

The Titanic actor surprised fans by making an appearance in the Scottish city as part of the COP26 summit
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While Glasgow has welcomed many world leaders such as US President Joe Biden and activists such as Greta Thunberg as part of the COP26 climate summit, one A-list celebrity has made a surprising appearance in Glasgow.

Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted on Tuesday (2 November) in the Scottish city visiting the climate summit which is taking place at the SEC Campus.

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Here is all you need to know about why the actor was attending the event.

Why is Leonardo DiCaprio in Glasgow?

The Oscar-winning actor, 46, has made an appearance in Glasgow to the surprise of many.

DiCaprio was spotted first at a COP26 fringe event in the Maryhill area of the city on Monday evening (1 November), before being spotted at the SEC Campus the next day.

In Maryhill, he was pictured at an event with film producer Paul Goodenough. Goodenough is also the founder of climate charity, Rewriting Extinction.

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DiCaprio was then mobbed by attendees and journalists as he arrived at Glasgow’s SEC Campus to attend official COP26 events.

Leonadro DiCaprio is mobbed by attendee as he makes an appearance at COP26 summit in Glasgow. (Credit: PA)Leonadro DiCaprio is mobbed by attendee as he makes an appearance at COP26 summit in Glasgow. (Credit: PA)
Leonadro DiCaprio is mobbed by attendee as he makes an appearance at COP26 summit in Glasgow. (Credit: PA)

This included an unannounced visit to the Kew Science’s Carbon Garden space inside the summit.

A spokesperson for Leonardo DiCaprio said: “[He] seemed to enjoy seeing the wonderful display of plants and messages about nature-based solutions to climate change that the Kew’s display has on show”.

Why was Leonardo DiCaprio invited to COP26?

Despite becoming a household name for his acting roles, DiCaprio has become very involved in environmental issues over the past few years.

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In his online social media bios, he describes himself as a “actor and environmentalist” and in recent years has filmed documentaries about the environment including 2016’s ‘Before The Flood’.

During his acceptance speech at the Academy Awards in 2016, where he won Best Actor for The Revenant, DiCaprio said: “Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history.

“Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.

“We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.”

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Alongside bringing awareness to climate change on the global stage, DiCaprio has also donated and backed environmental projects, charities and businesses across the world, including The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. He has also been appointed as a UN ‘Messenger of Peace’, which may explain his appearance at the vital climate change summit.

Who else has made an appearance at the COP26 summit?

Although not taking part in official COP26 events, climate activist Greta Thunberg is currently in Glasgow and will lead climate protest marches through the city during the conference.

DiCaprio previously described Thunberg as “a leader of our time” upon meeting her in November 2019.

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