CHINA: China's financial capital Shanghai plays host to one of the global Live Earth concerts

China's financial capital Shanghai plays host to one of the global Live Earth concerts at the city's iconic Oriental Pearl Tower. More than 3,000 people are set to crowd into Shanghai's iconic Oriental Pearl Tower to attend the Chinese version of the global Live Earth concerts. Pop stars in Tokyo and Sydney had kicked off the global chain of climate change concerts on Saturday (July 7) aimed at persuading the world to go green. Following the Live Aid and Live 8 mega-gigs, Live Earth hopes to reach up to two billion people through radio, television and the internet, and features acts including Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers at nine concerts. There has been widespread cynicism among fans, campaigners and even fellow rockers about using the world of pop, renowned for its conspicuous consumption, to promote green living. But for Khalid Malik, the UN's resident co-ordinator in China, the concert is a good starting point for a campaign on saving the environment. "I think first of all, no one concert, doesn't matter how big the concert is, can change things in that profound a way. But as you know, the "Live Earth" as a philosophy-all these concerts-are to start a three to five year campaign and therefore, a campaign means you take a step and you build on it." And fans at the gigs agreed. "No matter how much the influence, there would definitely be some kind of influence. I think that most people in society today already have a higher level of awareness of environmental issues," said 30-year-old Chen Chao. "As our world's climate warms up, we should use less air-conditioning and try to emit fewer things that are polluting. For us in big cities such as Shanghai, we should aim for a greener environment to balance out the pollution," said 24-year-old Hua Yan. The Shanghai concert features British singer Sarah Brightman and a host of Chinese popstars including Taiwanese singer Yvonne Hsu, Hong Kong's Eason Chen and Joey Yung, and the 12 Girls' Band. After Sydney, Tokyo and Shanghai, the concert focus moves to Johannesburg, London, Hamburg, New Jersey, Washington and Rio de Janeiro. There will also be footage from Antarctica, where the previously unknown band, Nunatak, comprising two engineers, a marine biologist, a meteorologist and a polar guide at a remote British research station, have recorded a short set. The "gig" in front of 17 fellow researchers allows Gore to keep his promise to hold at least one concert on all seven continents on the date 7/7/7.

ITN Source | July 7, 2007

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