Jason Momoa delivered a passionate climate change speech at a UN summit, calling humanity ‘a disease that is infecting our planet’.

The Hawaiian born ‘Aquaman’ addressed a high-level meeting concerning Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – which include the Bahamas, Barbados, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Haiti – at the UN’s headquarters in New York. 

He explained that he was standing there as a ‘singular representative of all island nations’ that   are ‘drowning’ due to rising sea levels and increasing environmental catastrophes.

“We the island nations and all coastal communities are the front lines in this environmental crisis,” he said.

“The oceans are in a state of emergency. Entire marine ecosystems are vanishing with the warming of the seas. And as the waste of the world empties into our waters, we face the devastating crisis of plastic pollution.

 “Island nations contribute the least to this disaster, but are made to suffer the weight of its consequences. Our governments and corporate entities have known for decades that immediate change is needed. Yet change still has not come.”

He condemned leaders for turning a blind eye to the mounting crisis. 

“As a human family, through innovation and creativity, we have elevated ourselves and perceivably stand as the most powerful beings on earth, yet our ego, our fear, and our relentless drive for profits have made us the only species willing to force disharmony with the natural balance of our world,” he continued.

 “We are a disease that is infecting our planet.”

Echoing Greta Thunberg’s accusative tone during her address to the UN leaders, Momoa added: “Our governments and corporate entities have known for decades that immediate change is needed, yet change still has not come.

“And when the front line is gone, we are doomed. There is no undoing.

“If you continue to watch unsympathetic to the issues of island nations, this realization will soon come — that you stood by and witnessed the world cross the critical tipping point, ushering in the death of our planet.”

• WATCH: Jason Momoa shaves his beard to convince you to ditch plastic

Trump

Momoa also expressed his disappointment at US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 2017.

“Three years ago in Paris, the world stood united and vowed to keep the earth below 1.5 degrees of warming,” he said.

 “We pledged to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and to do what is right. I’m standing here today because I am ashamed that not all of our leaders have honored this agreement.”

He then charged the attendants with a series of questions: “Delegates, I ask you now, do we still stand in unity for this cause?

 “Do you intend to honor the commitments for a betterment of mankind? Or will you continue to chase short-term profits above our children’s basic human rights to live on this earth? Change cannot come in 2050, or 2030, or even 2025. The change must come today. We can no longer afford the luxury of half-assing it as we willingly force ourselves beyond the threshold of no return.”

Momoa later posted his speech on Instagram, stating: “We’ve been half assing our global efforts to reverse the climate crisis and this can’t continue. We have to change now.” 

• Read: “Vegan propaganda”: Public dismiss UN advice to go plant-based to save the planet

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