leonardo dicaprio yacht pollution

The Pollution From Leonardo DiCaprio's Superyacht Is One Of Many Reasons He's Been Labeled An "Eco-Hypocrite"

Leonardo DiCaprio has made a name for himself as an environmental activist but doesn't exactly vacation in environmentally conscious ways.

• Leonardo DiCaprio is a dedicated and vocal environmental activist, having funneled millions of dollars into conservation efforts and using his platform to advocate for climate change action.
• Despite his activism, DiCaprio has faced backlash for his lavish vacations on multi-million-dollar superyachts and excessive private plane travel, raising questions about the consistency of his environmental principles.
• Fans are struggling to reconcile DiCaprio's strong stance against carbon emissions and support for a sustainable economy with his own luxurious and carbon-intensive lifestyle.

Leonardo DiCaprio , one of Hollywood’s most revered leading men, is known for many things; one of which is being a particularly vocal environmental activist. The now 48-year-old has funneled huge chunks of his massive $300 million net worth into environmental conservation efforts over the years, proving that his activism goes beyond mere words.

Ironically, DiCaprio recently found himself embroiled in a wave of controversy after snapshots of him vacationing in a multi-million-dollar superyacht started making rounds on the internet. But this isn’t the first time the Don’t Look Up star has been caught on the wrong side of the climate change debate.

The now 48-year-old’s work-hard-party-hard lifestyle has seen him jet-set to various exclusive locales around the globe, often in luxurious fuel-guzzling private planes. With such sharp contrasts between his lifestyle and ideologies , one question remains; Is DiCaprio an environmental champion or an eco-hypocrite?

Leonardo DiCaprio Is An Avid Environmental Activist

Aside from being one of Hollywood’s most bankable movie stars, and dating well below his age, Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio has made a name for himself as one of the most dedicated and vocal environmental activists in Hollywood.

The Titanic star’s climate change crusade first started in 1998, when he launched the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which prior to its 2019 merger with Emmerson Collective and Global Wildlife Conservation to form Earth Alliance, had funneled over $100 million in grant funding to global projects aimed at averting climate change and biodiversity loss.

Apart from doting out large chunks of his net worth to the climate change crusade, DiCaprio has also used his platform to advocate for environmental conservation, with a Buzzfeed article from 2022 tallying at least 17 times the acclaimed actor has publicly spoken out about climate change.

As a testament to his dedication to averting a climate change catastrophe, DiCaprio was designated a UN Messenger of Peace in 2014; earning the rare privilege to address world leaders at the annual United Nations Climate Summit.

“Every week, we’re seeing new and undeniable climate events, evidence that accelerated climate change is here right now," he said at the time. "Droughts are intensifying, our oceans are acidifying with methane plumes rising up from the ocean floor. We are seeing extreme weather events, and the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets melting at unprecedented rates, decades ahead of scientific projections."

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The now 48-year-old even managed to work a call to action against climate change into his Oscar acceptance speech at the 2016 Academy Awards. “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,” he said.

“We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the Indigenous peoples of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will 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.”

Leonardo DiCaprio Faced Backlash For Vacationing In A Superyacht

Despite being an avid environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio doesn't exactly engage in environmentally conscious pastimes. The now 48-year-old recently found himself making waves on the internet as snapshots of his lavish vacation in the picturesque Italian island of Ibiza aboard a multi-million-dollar superyacht surfaced. And that's not all! Just a week earlier, he was spotted alongside Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire, cruising in style on yet another yacht in the glamorous Saint-Tropez.

But Leonardo's jet-setting adventures didn't end there. Two weeks before his South of France trip, the now 48-year-old was caught on camera enjoying a family getaway along the stunning Amalfi Coast. And as if that wasn't enough, back in May, the Titanic star was seen basking in the sun on yet another luxurious superyacht; this time off the coast of Sardinia, Italy.

RELATED: Why Does Leonardo DiCaprio Own 4 Mansions Right Next To Each Other? The Truth About His Insanely Expensive Real Estate Choices

The Titanic star's superyacht getaways have become a hot topic, igniting debates on the harmony between ideology and lifestyle, according to The Daily Mail. For many, these lavish vacations cast a grim shadow over DiCaprio's fervent advocacy against carbon emissions, raising questions about the consistency of his environmental principles.

Leonardo DiCaprio Has Come Under Fire For Being An Eco Hypocrite In The Past

Surprisingly, the grandiose summer vacation isn’t the first of DiCaprio’s lavish trips to ignite controversy. Back in 2022, the Titanic star took a luxurious vacation to St. Barts aboard a $121 million superyacht , which, according to Mirror UK, can emit as much carbon as an average car in a year by sailing just seven miles.

Aside from lounging in superyachts, DiCaprio has also faced backlash for his penchant for traveling in luxurious private jets. Back in 2016, the Titanic star embarked on an 8000-mile trip from Europe to New York in a private jet, all in the name of accepting an award for environmental activism; an irony that did not go unnoticed.

In addition, according to Mirror UK, the Don’t Look Up star has racked up over 12,000 miles of air travel jet-setting between the US, London, Milan, and Paris in private planes over recent months; a startling figure considering that flying private results in a significantly higher carbon footprint than flying commercial.

RELATED: Was Claire Danes So Determined Not To Work With Leonardo DiCaprio Again That She Turned Down One Of The Highest Grossing Movies Of All Time?

As things stand, fans are finding it hard to reconcile the environmentally conscious UN Peace Ambassador who, while attending the 2014 United Nations Climate Summit said, “We need to put a price tag on carbon emissions and eliminate government subsidies for oil, coal, and gas companies. We need to end the free ride that industrial polluters have been given in the name of a free-market economy. They do not deserve our tax dollars, they deserve our scrutiny. For the economy itself will die if our ecosystems collapse," with the multi-millionaire who routinely lounges in fuel-guzzling superyachts and travels thousands of miles in private planes.

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Learn About Leonard DiCaprio's Yacht: Topaz

When you think about Leonardo DiCaprio, images of an eco-conscious crusader who is out to improve the health of the planet may first emerge. Recent rumors that Leo plans to attend the 2018 World Cup events in Brazil aboard a yacht seem a bit contradictory because of the pollution that these floating luxury hotels churn into the air and water.

While some have criticized him for indulging in a bit of heaven at the expense of the planet, if he wasn't doing it, somebody else would be. At least he's making an attempt to help the situation when he can. All of that aside, we were curious to find out more about Leonardo DiCaprio's Yacht, and here is what we discovered.

Leo doesn't own the yacht

DiCaprio hasn't actually purchased a yacht. Instead, he rented it from owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Mansour is a billionaire politician who is the current prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.

The mega yacht was custom built according to his grand and luxurious specifications and named the Topaz. Until recently, the interior of the yacht has remained a well-guarded secret. We've learned some juicy tidbits that we're happy to share.

Specifications of the Topaz

The super yacht measures a total of 453 feet in length with a cost of more than $200 million in USD to build and an estimated value of $678 million. This isn't the biggest yacht that Mr. DiCaprio has chartered, but it's likely to be one of the most luxurious.

The yacht is powered by four M90 diesel engines which generate approximately 48,000 horse power. The ship made its maiden launch in 2012 and according to sources, DiCaprio also rented it in 2014 just 2 years into its service run.

The Topaz is rumored to be one of the most extravagant yachts in the world . It offers smooth sailing with the installation of zero speed stabilizers. It comes fully outfitted with lifts that ferry guests comfortably among the eight deck levels to the host of amenities that are scattered throughout the massive vessel.

It is decked out in full luxury and comfort with a cinema, two hot tubs, air conditioning throughout, three swimming pools, a fitness hall, underwater lights, an ample sized conference room and a well hidden interior design that is left up to our imaginations.

Leonardo DiCaprio's guest list aboard the Topaz

Leo won't be making the trip alone. We've learned that he has a list of guests that will accompany him on thee yacht as he enjoys the football tournament in Brazil.

There were 21 of his friends, all of millionaire status mind you, invited to enjoy the amenities. It's been reported that DiCaprio and his pals hopped a jet and flew to Rio de Janeiro to arrive one day prior to kick off of the Brazil World cup.

The controversy the rental has stirred

While some are happy that Leo had a nice luxury vacation , others are upset about the seeming nose thumb to environmentalists who think his actions are careless.

There has been a degree of judgment and sentiments of disappointment to outright damnation sent his way. Activists point out that Leo's private jet that made thee 8000 mile trip left a hefty carbon footprint. This is besides the emissions put out from the luxury mega yacht. They're citing his actions as not being environmentally responsible.

Why the uproar?

The backlash has come after the fact that DiCaprio made a plea to viewers to work with one another to help fight climate change when he accepted his first ever Oscar award. DiCaprio's involvement in Hollywood environmentalism can't be denied.

He dedicates time to fly here and there to pick up awards for his contributions to help clean up the environment, but when he flies to and fro, his carbon footprint grows.

There has been a volley of insults and comments disapproving of Leo's actions, but isn't this how Hollywood environmentalism works? It's kinda tough to get to Brazil without flying or chartering a boat to take you there.

It's a drama that has been ongoing since Leo's plans were first revealed but it seems that he could at least score a few points for encouraging us all to make some kind of effort.

It's not easy being the center of attention and there are times when best intentions draw a backlash of negativism, despite the fact that most of us rely on some type of carbon emitting transportation resources.

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Leonardo DiCaprio slammed as 'eco-hypocrite' after star's seen lounging on $150M super-yacht

There is perhaps no bigger climate activist in Hollywood than Leonardo DiCaprio, with the actor actively preaching about climate change and global warming as a United Nations ambassador. In fact, the 'Don't Look Up' actor had branded climate change as the "most urgent threat facing our entire species" and lectured everyone about the environmental threats in his famous Oscar acceptance speech. 

However, the 47-year-old actor is now being criticized for his hypocrisy, after he was spotted vacationing in the $150 million superyacht The Vava II, along with 24-year-old girlfriend Camila Morrone. DiCaprio has been spending his new year with his ladylove at the Caribbean island of St Bart's. The couple was spotted swimming in the waves as Morrone rocked a stunning black swimsuit. In the past, DiCaprio had been called out by environmentalists for availing his private jet to fly to global events, thereby generating an enormous carbon footprint. 

DiCaprio's present holiday home, The Vava II, happens to be one of the biggest luxury superyachts in the world. It is owned by 46-year-old Swiss pharmaceutical billionaire Ernesto Bertrarelli and is often used by celebrities to spend their vacations. Aside from the usual amenities, the 315-ft long yacht constitutes a gym, swimming pool, 'beach club', movie theater, and even a helipad. It can accommodate more than 22 guests alongside 30 crew members. 

It reportedly costs a bomb to replenish its fuel needs, as The Vava II demands fuel worth $339,712 to fill its tank. Thus one can easily guess the mammoth amount of carbon footprint left behind by the vehicle. In fact, the carbon pollution generated by the yacht by sailing only seven miles reportedly equals the carbon emission of a standard car in one year. Once loaded with 115,000 gallons of diesel, the yacht has a range of 5,700 miles. According to estimates, the Vava II generates a jaw-dropping amount of 238 kg carbon dioxide every mile. Though it has been mostly stationary in the Caribbean Sea in the recent past, fans are unwilling to absolve DiCaprio of his environmental hypocrisy.

However, DiCaprio was defended by environmentalist Sarah Clayton who remarked, "I know celebrities lead these crazy lives, but Don’t Look Up has done so much to make people aware of climate change." She referred to the actor's latest Netflix release which also stars Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, Jonah Hill, Tyler Perry, among others. 

DiCaprio, who notably spent nearly $102 million dollars on a global eco-conservation project, is yet to address the controversy surrounding his fossil fuel pollution.  

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Leonardo DiCaprio traveled on gas-guzzling private jets, yachts while funding climate nuisance lawsuits

Dicaprio funded climate lawsuits while on gas-guzzling trips across globe.

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Leonardo DiCaprio traveled across the world on gas-guzzling private jets and embarked on long yacht trips while his foundation quietly funded climate change lawsuits levied against Big Oil.

DiCaprio, a famous actor and climate activist, has embarked on multiple fossil fuel-powered trips over the last several years while pushing for extreme measures to combat climate change, according to multiple reports. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which the actor founded in the late 1990s, awarded grants to a fund that in turn backed a private law firm's efforts to hold oil companies liable for climate change.

"I'm not surprised," Steve Milloy, a former energy official on the Trump administration's transition team, told Fox News Digital. "There's this whole left-wing dark money network. That money comes from someplace and these guys — high profile, wealthy lefties — are funding it."

"There's not a single climate activist who is not a complete hypocrite about all this," Milloy added. "Everything they do is just total hypocrisy. I would say they have no self awareness, but they just don't care. All this is really meant to control us, not for them to control themselves."

LEONARDO DICAPRIO FUNNELED GRANTS THROUGH DARK MONEY GROUP TO FUND CLIMATE NUISANCE LAWSUITS, EMAILS SHOW

Leonardo DiCaprio speaks at the 2019 Global Citizen Festival in Central Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

DiCaprio's past fuel-powered travels included six roundtrip trips on private jets over the course of just six weeks in 2014. Sony Pictures Studios arranged for DiCaprio to take a private jet from California to New York during the period between April and May 2014, according to internal Sony emails published by WikiLeaks in 2015 .

The United Nations appointed DiCaprio as a "messenger of peace" for his work on climate change in 2014. 

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS EMBRACE EXTREME TACTICS, VIOLENCE AS DEADLINE TO 'SAVE THE PLANET' DRAWS NEAR

In 2016, DiCaprio reportedly flew 8,000 miles via private jet from Europe to New York City to accept an award for his environmental activism. He then returned to Europe for a charity event.

That same year, DiCaprio took a private jet to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. At the summit, the WEF gave DiCaprio its Crystal Award for his "leadership in tackling the climate crisis."

Leonardo DiCaprio is pictured jet-skiing in St. Tropez on July 15. (Mega Agency) (Mega Agency)

DiCaprio has also been heavily criticized for his wide usage of private yachts . In 2014, he took a yacht owned by United Arab Emirates deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the World Cup in Brazil.

In July, DiCaprio was pictured in St. Tropez on a yacht and jet-skiing with other celebrities. 

After DiCaprio criticized Brazil over its reported deforestation plans, the nation's president Jair Bolsonaro slammed the actor, pointing to his usage of private yachts . 

"You again, Leo?" Bolsonaro tweeted on July 27. "This way, you will become my best electoral cable, as we say in Brazil! I could tell you, again, to give up your yacht before lecturing the world, but I know progressives: you want to change the entire world but never yourselves, so I will let you off the hook."

Still, DiCaprio has continued to use his platform and foundation to push for a clean energy transition away from fossil fuels. After receiving the "best actor" prize at the 2016 Academy Awards, DiCaprio used his speech to urge world leaders to make aggressive actions to fight climate change.

"Climate change is real," DiCaprio remarked during the speech. "It is happening right now. It’s the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating."

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"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," he continued.

The Earth Alliance, which DiCaprio's foundation joined in 2019, didn't respond to a request for comment.

Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.

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Rich climate activist Leonardo DiCaprio lives a carbon-intensive lifestyle, and that's (mostly) fine

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At the 2016 Academy Awards, Leo DiCaprio accepted his Best Actor trophy with a speech that included a passionate call to action on climate change.

As inevitably as night follows day, social media was flooded with people attacking DiCaprio as a hypocrite for living a carbon-intensive lifestyle.

@drvox @ClimateOfGavin pic.twitter.com/z4ugiZoXzl — Politics In Memes (@politicsinmemes) February 29, 2016

( UPDATE: This yacht doesn't belong to DiCaprio. He doesn't own one. See correction at bottom.)

This kind of thing has been around for as long as I've been writing about climate change. People never tire of pointing out that Al Gore lives in a "mansion" or that scientists fly all over the world to climate conferences, spewing CO2. Any time I mention a vacation online I am immediately scolded as a hypocrite by at least one of the trolls who follow me around waiting for such opportunities.

It's not just conservatives or climate skeptics, either. There have always been plenty of environmentalists and liberals who scorn Gore and other climate leaders for their supposed hypocrisy.

There's clearly something powerful in the critique. It elicits strong, intuitive reactions, which is rare with arguments related to climate change.

But I don't think it holds up. In particular, I think it runs two different arguments together.

Argument 1: Climate advocates who don't reduce their emissions are hypocrites

This is the claim that really grabs people at a gut level. And it makes a certain sense: If you say carbon emissions are bad, and you emit lots of carbon, and you don't work to reduce your own carbon emissions, then either a) you don't really think carbon emissions are bad, or b) you're a hypocrite.

But there's a hidden premise here, which lots of people take for granted but shouldn't. The premise is that personal emission reductions are an important part of the fight against climate change — if you take climate seriously, you take on an obligation to reduce your own emissions.

Is that true? Not necessarily. It is entirely possible to believe, as many people do, that voluntary emission reductions are pointless vanity, that the only efficacious solutions to climate change involve extended, coordinated action by governments. They view the moralism around personal emissions as a distraction, a way of diverting environmentalist energy and alienating non-environmentalists.

People who believe that are not engaged in hypocrisy if they fly, or buy an SUV, or eat a hamburger. They are not advocating sacrifice or asceticism; they don't believe it would do any good. They believe people will take advantage of the options available to them until some combination of regulation and innovation makes cleaner options available.

If they advocate for, and are willing to abide by, taxes and regulations designed to reduce emissions, then such folks are being true to their beliefs. You might think they are wrong about the value of personal behavior, but they are not hypocrites .

Is there any evidence that DiCaprio has advocated personal emission reductions or told anyone they ought to forgo planes or boats? If so, I haven't seen it.

Perhaps he has done the math and realized that the emissions of any single rich person are insignificant to the big picture on climate.

Here are the per capita carbon emissions of the world's top 10 overall carbon emitters:

More recent data has shifted slightly, but we don't need to be all that precise. The world average is around 7 metric tons a year per person. In the US, it's around 20 metric tons.

Let's say that by flying and yachting all over the world, DiCaprio is responsible for 500 times the emissions of the average American — 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases a year.

How much is that? Here are some annual greenhouse gas emission figures, in metric tons (years range from 2010 to 2013):

• Global: 46 billion
• US: 6.673 billion
• California: 459.3 million
• Walmart: 21 million
• Los Angeles: 18.595 million
• California film industry: 8.4 million

Even if extravagant by mere mortal standards, DiCaprio's personal emissions are a fart in the wind when it comes to climate change. If he vanished tomorrow, and all his emissions with him, the effect on global temperature, even on US emissions, even on film-industry emissions, would be lost in the noise.

Climate change is extremely large. No single human can directly generate enough emissions to make a dent. And all indications are that DiCaprio knows that. That's why he said:

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.

He didn't say, "We need to buy LED lightbulbs. And avoid yachts." His focus is on political leadership.

So the "hypocrisy" charge fails. You're not a hypocrite for not doing things you haven't said anyone else should do either.

(Note: There are certainly people who think reducing one's personal emissions is a moral obligation, for everyone, and that high-profile climate leaders ought to lead the way. I disagree, but it's a legitimate claim. But even if you accept the claim, the conclusion is that DiCaprio is wrong , not that he's a hypocrite.)

Argument 2: Public figures ought to do more climate signaling

You could agree that voluntary personal emission reductions are irrelevant to the big picture on climate change and still think that high-profile public figures like DiCaprio are in a unique position to signal . Their choices and habits have outsize effects on culture. People look to them for indications about what is and isn't important, so they have an obligation to send the right signals.

There's definitely something to this argument. But there are two important things to remember about it.

First, if signaling is the issue, well, DiCaprio is supporting electric cars and pushing for clean energy in the film industry and building eco-resorts and supporting clean energy campaigns and starting a friggin' climate charity . Oh, and making heartfelt appeals in front of 9 million people at the Academy Awards.

That's a lot of signaling! Read this piece in Rolling Stone or this one in the Guardian. DiCaprio has a long history of serious work on this issue. By any measure, he's doing better on signaling than the vast majority of wealthy, influential people.

Do pictures of him on a yacht undo all that? No one's provided any evidence to support that claim.

Second, note that this argument applies to all wealthy, influential people, not just the ones who advocate for action on climate change. If it is a moral good for influential people to signal that low carbon is a priority, then it is a moral good for all of them. Those who speak up about climate change are under no special obligation over and above that.

All that said, yes, conspicuous consumption is a kind of signaling too — a bad kind, for reasons that go far beyond climate change. Generally, parading your hyperconsumption is corrosive to social solidarity. (Oddly, very few of the conservatives who yell at DiCaprio make this argument.)

So if there's any grounds for complaint against DiCaprio, it's the same complaint fairly directed at any wealthy hyperconsumer: Signaling restraint is a gesture of social solidarity. They should all do more of it. Including the ones who never say a word about climate change.

We've got to stop using fossil fuels as rapidly as possible. Doing that will mean some mix of technological, political, and social change. Undoubtedly lifestyle changes will come along with any such transition.

I wouldn't presume to predict what those lifestyle changes will be. But insofar as progress on decarbonization proceeds at the pace it needs to, it will do so because lower-carbon alternatives are cheaper or more convenient, or offer features and benefits their dirty competitors can't.

I have trouble envisioning voluntary restraint catching on at any scale that makes a difference. Cleaner energy will be more fun, more prosperous, better , or it won't happen.

So sure, maybe DiCaprio ought to rein it in with the yachts and personal jets. But only for the same reasons all rich people ought to, not because he's advocating for better climate policy. Everyone ought to advocate for better climate policy!

Policy is the big picture. If we get that right, both income inequality and emissions will decline and more people will be better off. If we get it wrong, the size of DiCaprio's boat won't matter one way or the other.

CORRECTION: A DiCaprio press rep contacted us to let us know that Leo DiCaprio does not , as our original headline stated, own a yacht. The pictures show him using friends' yachts.

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How Leonardo DiCaprio became one of the world's top climate change champions

The Oscar-winning actor’s environmental activism may not quite stretch back to What’s Eating Gilbert Grape but he has steadily schooled himself on the oceans and climate change since the 1990s

Leonardo DiCaprio was a climate champion long before the actor wrapped himself in an animal carcass, vomited up raw bison liver, and risked hypothermia for his Oscar-winning role in Revenant.

DiCaprio used his acceptance speech for best actor to urge a global audience to reject the “politics of greed”, and support leaders willing to take action against climate change.

“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,” the actor said .

The Oscars was probably the biggest audience to date for DiCaprio’s activism - but campaigners who have worked with the actor said he has been steeped in the issue for years, and is desperate about the need for action.

Over the last few years, DiCaprio has steadily donated his celebrity - and at least $30m in funding according to his foundation - to help advance the United Nations climate negotiations, protect coral reefs and tigers, and spread public awareness about the dangers of climate change.

The actor has become a fixture at events focused on global challenges since 2014, dropping in at the Davos economic forum to pick up an award last January, and holding a private chat on the sidelines with Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations secretary general, on the sidelines of the Paris climate negotiations last December.

DiCaprio marched with 400,000 through the streets of Manhattan and addressed the United Nations about the dangers of climate change in 2014 , and has had private tutorials in climate science from some of the world’s best researchers.

Other actors - notably Mark Ruffalo, the best supporting actor nominee on Sunday - are avowed climate campaigners, and other wealthy individuals give to environmental causes. But DiCaprio operates at a different level of fame, campaigners said.

“There are many foundations and non-governmental organisations interested in oceans and many do great work. He has a megaphone that nobody else on the planet has. He is so respected and admired and influential all around the world from the general public to head of state, so when he says something people listen,” said Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence for National Geographic, who has worked with DiCaprio.

Those efforts by the Tesla-owning, scuba-diving actor have now displaced earlier public perceptions of DiCaprio as a player who surrounded himself with a succession of models - and it’s been helpful for the cause.

“People like Leonardo DiCaprio have such access to people, it is amazing. When people hear him talk so forcefully and clearly about a particular issue than people listen,” said Janos Pasztor, who advised Ban on climate change. “I am very glad that he did that.”

DiCaprio’s environmental activism may not stretch back quite as far as the first of his six Oscar nominations - that was in 1993 for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape - but the actor has been steadily schooling himself on the oceans and climate change since the 1990s, campaigners said.

By his own account, DiCaprio began worrying about biodiversity and species loss as an infant. He has told interviewers his parents hung a reproduction of Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights above his crib in their Los Angeles home - and he was disturbed by the depiction of the loss of Eden.

One key moment in the evolution of DiCaprio as a climate champion was a meeting with then vice-president Al Gore at the White House in 1998. DiCaprio, who has cited that meeting as the beginning of his climate activism, set up his foundation that same year.

Campaigners who have worked with the actor said he he steeps himself in the material - reading, keeping staff on hand who can brief him on climate science and policy, and travelling to locations that are on the frontline of climate change.

Congrats to @LeoDiCaprio on well-deserved #Oscar . He & I talked about #climate threat last Fall in NYC. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/rk4MPDBApx — Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) February 29, 2016

A decade or so after the White House meeting with Gore, the two met by chance in first class on a flight to Europe. “Leo talked to Al the whole flight over, he picked Al’s brain the entire night, and it was a red eye,” said Kailee Kreider, who was the working for Gore. “The two of them talked all night. That is pretty unusual.”

The actor has stayed in regular contact with noted researchers - such as Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Penn State University. “I have talked with him and his folks frequently over the phone,” Mann said in an email. The actor and the climate scientist met for the first time last October in a bar in New York’s west village.

“The meeting lasted a couple hours, and touched on all aspects of the science of climate change, the impacts, and the solutions. I was truly impressed by Leo. He follows the issue closely, reads up about it quite a bit, (including pieces in the Guardian, I’m quite sure!), and he understands the nuances of the issues involved. His questions for me were all thoughtful and insightful. There is a lot of depth there, and I think that Leo really approaches the issue with both his heart and his head,” Mann said.

“One thing that came across was a pessimism, that I find in many folks, that we will garner the will to confront this problem in time. I tried to convey, as a scientist, why it is that I am still cautiously optimistic that we will indeed rise to the occasion in time.”

DiCaprio’s brand of climate activism at first involved performance - such as narrating a climate change film, the 11th Hour , in 2007. But over the last few years he has increasingly used his fortune and his foundation to support conservation efforts.

DiCaprio’s foundation donated $3m in 2014 to stop overfishing , $3m to protect tigers in Nepal, and funding Sala’s initiative to create marine reserves in the Pacific .

The actor is currently at work on a climate change documentary that took him to Baffin Island in the Arctic last summer - and by DiCaprio’s own account that is highly unlikely to be the end of his activism.

“I am consumed by this,” DiCaprio told Rolling Stone last January. “There isn’t a couple of hours a day where I’m not thinking about it. It’s this slow burn. It’s not ‘aliens invading our planet next week and we have to get up and fight to defend our country,’ but it’s this inevitable thing, and it’s so terrifying.”

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Luxury yacht explodes in Leonardo DiCaprio’s summer playground in the Balearics

Yacht catches fire in fomentera, wolf of wall street and spiderman splash out in the balearics, barack obama's favourite super yacht returns to mallorca.

Major panic in Formentera.

At around 6 p.m. the yacht began to burn at the stern. The boat, which is more than 20 metres long, was anchored in the area around Cavall d’en Borràs opposite Beso Beach and the Tiburón restaurant, one of the most fashionable and famous places on the island.

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The flames spread throughout the yacht in a matter of minutes , turning it into a fireball that created a huge column of smoke that was visible from neighbouring Ibiza . The Maritime Safety Agency mobilised one of the vessels to fight the fire.

The same sources indicated that no personal injuries or damage to other vessels were reported. But the Bulletin was told that the yacht is of an age that it will sink and potentially cause serious pollution.

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Another boat explosion? This is REALLY getting like Howards Way.

Another Bond villain sent to the bottom...

Leo's playground? You mean Ibiza? Absolute joke headline 🙈

Just about the dumbest of dumb headlines yet from the MDB. And that’s saying something. Absolutely nothing to do with him.

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Don't look up... you might see Leonardo DiCaprio being an eco hypocrite on his £110million yacht 

By Abul Taher for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 19:23 EDT, 8 January 2022 | Updated: 12:48 EDT, 28 March 2024

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He is a celebrity UN climate change ambassador who has called the issue ‘the most urgent threat facing our entire species’.

But while he urges fans to take action, Leonardo DiCaprio has been spending time on one of the world’s biggest, and most environmentally unfriendly, superyachts.

The 315ft, £110 million Vava II – which even features a helipad on the uppermost of its six decks – produces as much carbon by sailing just seven miles as an average car belches out in a year.

While he urges fans to take action, Leonardo DiCaprio has been spending time on one of the world’s biggest, and most environmentally unfriendly, superyachts

DiCaprio, who has just burnished his eco credentials by starring in Netflix’s hit climate catastrophe satire Don’t Look Up – may be surprised to learn it costs £250,000 just to fill its fuel tanks.

The 47-year-old has been holidaying near the Caribbean island of St Barts – a playground for the world’s billionaires – with actress girlfriend Camila Morrone, 24, since New Year’s Eve.

The couple have been staying with friends on the superyacht, which also boasts a gym, swimming pool, ‘beach club’ and cinema. The Vava II – the biggest yacht to be manufactured in Britain – is owned by the Swiss pharmaceutical billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, 46.

The 315ft, £110 million Vava II – which even features a helipad on the uppermost of its six decks – produces as much carbon by sailing just seven miles as an average car belches out in a year

The Titanic star and his girlfriend of five years partied with a host of celebrity pals at a Unicef gala on New Year’s Eve whose guest list boasted Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, boxer Mike Tyson and British singer Dua Lipa.

Since the festivities, DiCaprio and Morrone – stepdaughter of actor Al Pacino – have been seen on the beaches of St Barts during the day and taking a small launch to rejoin Vava II in the evenings.

According to the manufacturer, the yacht can accommodate 22 guests and 30 crew and has a range of 5,700 miles when its tanks are fully laden with 115,000 gallons of diesel.

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Estimates show the Vava II produces 238kg of carbon dioxide per mile – almost as much as the average British car emits in two months. But ship tracking websites reveal the Vava II has been mostly stationary in the Caribbean Sea recently, travelling no more than a mile a day.

One environmentalist last night came to DiCaprio’s defence. Sarah Clayton, who campaigns against airport expansions in Britain, said: ‘I know celebrities lead these crazy lives, but Don’t Look Up has done so much to make people aware of climate change.’

DiCaprio is said to have funnelled £75 million of his £200 million fortune into a global conservation project to protect endangered species and land from developers.

Last night, a source close to DiCaprio said he was one of many guests on the yacht, and he does not own the vessel, nor did he rent it. 

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Leonardo DiCaprio accused of being an 'eco hypocrite' as he holidays on £110million yacht

Vocal climate change ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio has been accused of hypocrisy after being pictured relaxing on a super yacht while holidaying in St Barts

• 15:53, 9 Jan 2022
• Updated 10:09, 10 Jan 2022

Leonardo DiCaprio has been accused of being an eco-hypocrite as he was pictured on board an environmentally unfriendly superyacht during his holiday to St Barts.

The Titanic star, 47, is a celebrity UN climate change ambassador, and has openly called the issue of climate change to be ‘the most urgent threat facing our entire species’.

He's urged his fans to take action to combat climate change, with his recent role on Netflix hit Don't Look Up bringing more attention to the cause.

Despite his stance on this, he spent some time enjoying the luxuries of the the 315ft, £110 million Vava II superyacht - which produces as much carbon from sailing seven miles as the average car produces in a year - during his latest jaunt abroad.

The Vava II has six desks, with a helipad on the uppermost and costs a staggering £250,000 to fill its fuel tanks.

Alongside his 24-year-old girlfriend Camila Morrone, Leonardo, 47, has been holidaying near the 'playground for the world's billionaires' island St Barts in the Caribbean, since New Year's Eve.

The couple were seen together on the Vava II superyacht - the largest yacht to be manufactured in Britain - with friends, with the huge yacht being own by Swiss pharmaceutical billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, 46.

With a gym, swimming pool, cinema and 'beach club' on board, the superyacht doesn't hold back from luxury.

The manufacturer of the yacht has said that it can hold 30 crew members and 22 guests and when filled with 523,000 litres of fuel it can travel over 5,000 nautical miles.

Leonardo and his girlfriend of five years headed into the New Year alongside celebrity friends at a Unicef gala - the guest list of the exclusive evening included singer Dua Lipa, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and boxer Mike Tyson .

Since the New Year celebration, Leonardo and Camila - the stepdaughter of Scarface star Al Pacino - have been seen enjoying time on St Barts beaches before returning to the superyacht of an evening.

It is estimated that the superyacht produces 238kg of carbon dioxide per mile - which is the same amount as an average British car would emit over the span of two months.

The Daily Mail reports that shop tracking websites have revealed the yacht to be mostly stationary, with it not travelling further than a mile a day.

Although Leonardo is being perceived by some as hypocritical for indulging in time aboard a superyacht when he is a vocal advocate for climate change, an environmentalist has leapt to Leo's defence.

Sarah Clayton, who has campaigned against airport expansions in Britain in the past, said: "I know celebrities lead these crazy lives, but Don’t Look Up has done so much to make people aware of climate change."

The actor is believed to have given £75 million of his £200 million fortune to global conservation projects in order to protect endangered species and land from developers.

It is reported that last night a source close to the actor said that was one of many guests on the yacht and that he does not own the vessel and also has not rented it.

The Mirror has reached out to Leonardo's representative for comment.

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Self proclaimed ‘environmentalist’ Leonardo DiCaprio ringed in the new year on a $150 million superyacht with a group of models – The vessel releases more greenhouse gases than 1,500 cars combined.

Leonardo DiCaprio living his ✨best life✨ https://t.co/IU47B9MNtn — TMZ (@TMZ) January 4, 2023

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Leonardo DiCaprio who has recently won an Academy Award for his role in The Revenant has thrown a yacht party together with his long-time friend and fellow thespian, Tobey Maguire in an effort to raise environmental awareness .

The yacht party for the extremely important cause took place in a small luxury charter dubbed as Impromptu Yacht charter, in St. Tropez, in the South of France. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation was able to raise $30 million and still counting for the protecting of the environment.

This is the fourth annual charity auction that his foundation has launched and counted with the presented of several famous Hollywood stars, including  Cate Blanchett, Marion Cotillard, Sean Penn, Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Penélope Cruz, Uma Thurman and Emma Stone. The auction also had a surprise performance from Madonna and set by Lenny Kravitz. In addition, the event also saw a Titanic reunion between DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane.

The auction will continue online and bidding will commence on August 10 and will run until the 23rd, so you still have lots of time to participate and protect the well-being of all Earth’s inhabitants. You can take a look at the items that are going to be auctioned HERE !

⇒ See Also:  Explore the Marvelous Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises  ⇐

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Leonardo dicaprio warns of “catastrophic” pollution in new documentary.

The 'Wolf of Wall Street' star is sinking his teeth into ridding the world of carbon waste

By Aaron Couch

Aaron Couch

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DiCaprio is a best actor contender for The Wolf of Wall Street , which is also nominated for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best achievement in directing.

Leonardo DiCaprio  sounds pretty angry about pollution in a new short film narrated by the actor.

In  Carbon , the first in a series of environmental documentaries from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation , the actor advocates the taxing of corporations for carbon pollution and moving toward renewable industry — warning of “catastrophic” consequences if we don’t. 

“We no longer need the dead economy of the fossil fuel industry,” DiCaprio says in the film. 

DiCaprio is already known for his environmental work, with his foundation donating $3 million to ocean conservation earlier this year. 

The new documentary series aims to put pressure on world leaders leading up to the UN Climate Summit, which takes place in New York next month. Find more information on the documentary series here . 

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Leonardo dicaprio's carbon footprint is much higher than he thinks.

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Leonardo DiCaprio accepts the award for best actor in a leading role for “The Revenant” at the ... [+] Oscars on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

When a Congressman who preaches family values is caught philandering, there is an understandable uproar. Even for those who agree with the message, when it is delivered by a hypocrite it not only loses its impact, it opens up the message to easy attack from critics. I have always believed that if you are going to lecture to people on how they should live, you should set a strong example so you have the moral authority to do so.

Leonardo DiCaprio took home the Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday night. I was rooting for him to win, as was, it seems, most of America. His victory reportedly set a social-media record, with 440,000 Twitter posts in about a minute to become the single-most Tweeted minute during an Oscar telecast.

While I applauded his victory, I took exception to part of his acceptance speech. Here is an excerpt:

"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."

The problem isn't the message. I believe we are engaging in a dangerous experiment by dumping ever-increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. I don't think there is an easy fix to the problem, but I agree with his characterization that it is an urgent threat.

The problem is that DiCaprio himself is one of those "big polluters," which diminishes his moral authority to lecture others on reducing their own carbon emissions. While DiCaprio has donated a lot of his time, money, and effort into raising awareness on the issue -- as he did in his Oscar speech -- he unnecessarily hands ammunition to his opponents with his own wasteful consumption. For years his critics have noted his extensive usage of private jets to travel around the globe for both business and pleasure. In 2014 he famously rented the world's fifth largest yacht , owned by a UAE oil tycoon, to watch the World Cup in Brazil. In case you are wondering, neither the jets nor the yacht run on solar power.

But DiCaprio has claimed to be a "CarbonNeutral citizen." What does that mean? A London-based company called Future Forests (which registered CarbonNeutral as a brand) worked with DiCaprio to estimate that his annual carbon dioxide emissions are 11 tons per year. With that information in hand, they planted thousands of trees, creating The Leonardo DiCaprio Forest in Mexico, to offset his carbon dioxide emissions.

Don't get me wrong. I think planting forests is a great idea. But the notion that DiCaprio's carbon emissions are 11 tons per year is nonsense. According to the World Bank, per capita carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. are about 19 tons per year. That's of course an average, and rich people who take private jets and vacation on yachts have much higher carbon emissions than average.

In fact, a 2014 Daily Mail article noted, "DiCaprio took at least 20 trips across the nation and around the world this year alone - including numerous flights from New York to Los Angeles and back, a ski vacation to the French Alps, another vacation to the French Riviera, flights to London and Tokyo to promote his film Wolf of Wall Street, two trips to Miami and trip to Brazil to watch the World Cup." The article further noted that if he had taken commercial airlines for all of those flights, the carbon dioxide emissions from those flights alone would amount to 44 tons. (Note: The article says "million tons", but that's clearly an error as a round-trip coast-to-coast commercial airliner generates about 2 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per person). But many of those flights were on private jets, which the article notes can have 37 times the personal carbon emissions of commercial flights.

Add to the fact that he owns several homes and vacations frequently on diesel-burning yachts, and the 11 ton per year number is clearly wishful thinking.

Now I don't want to make this entirely one-sided, as DiCaprio is clearly passionate about the issue. He may be getting through to the masses, in which case he may be far more than offsetting his own carbon emissions. In the grand scheme, he is probably doing more good than harm.  He drives a Prius. He has been known to ride bikes around New York. He advocates for environmental charities and electric cars.

But that's not the point. Why undermine your message? I suspect this issue dogs him internally, and he is torn between living the good life of a Hollywood movie star, and sacrificing in order to set a good example. I have encountered his defenders, who attempt to justify his emissions by suggesting that it is simply too much to expect for someone like him to take commercial air transportation. But really, we can all make excuses for why we need to emit the carbon we emit. It all comes down to convenience. It's just easier and more convenient to hop in a car and go somewhere than it is to walk or bike there. That's why it's important for people like Leonardo DiCaprio -- who would lecture all of us on sacrifice -- to set an exemplary example.

I believe a leader should lead by example. If he needs some advice on advocating for the environment while leading the life of a Hollywood star, he should perhaps seek it from Ed Begley Jr . He seems to have figured it out. I suspect Leonardo will as well, but right now I just don't see the kinds of sacrifices from him that he is asking from the rest of us. If you are going to ask me to walk a mile, walk two yourself to show me the way.

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If there is an acting maverick with a great range, it is Leonardo DiCaprio . His contribution to cinema is inexplicable. From a maniac tycoon to a sweet, chocolate boy to a carnivore tearing a bear and living in it, he has been a tour de force. But, apart from acting, ‘The Aviator’ star has been a leading advocate for climate change phenomenon . Even before activists took the baton to fight against climate change, DiCaprio educated himself about the phenomenon. He even used the Oscars platform to advocate to fight against climate change and refute the ‘politics of greed. The fact that DiCaprio is a famous name when it comes to environmentalists doesn’t mean the star has to drop some luxury for it.

The eco-conscious crusader has a yacht named Topaz irrespective of the pollution it creates in water and air as well. Not only Topaz, he has been making great utility of another yacht Vava II vessel for his extravagant holidays with women and close friends. This topic is a bit controversial to his image of someone who is dedicated to the improvement of the health of the planet.

Related: How Leonardo DiCaprio Cheated Death 3 Times In Real Life

Does Leonardo Own The Topaz And Vava II?

The first thing is that Leonardo DiCaprio does not own Topaz. The actual owner of Topaz is Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is a billionaire politician of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mansour also holds the largest share in the Manchester City FC. He built the yacht in 2012 which took around $527 million. The spacious and luxurious ride consists of 26 cabins in total. It is 482 feet long. The vessel was accustomed to his lifestyle of grandeur and luxury. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan himself named the yacht Topaz as per its specifications to fit in with a high-end lifestyle.

The ‘ Titanic ‘ star and his friends took over the yacht merely to enjoy the Fifa World Cup in 2014. So far, the interior of the vessel was kept a secret from the world. DiCaprio comes in this scene as the one who rented the yacht.

Another yacht that DiCaprio enjoys spending time on is the Vava II, a $150 million yacht. Again, the star does not own the vessel. It is owned by the Swiss businessman Ernesto Bertarelli. Bertarelli is a renowned name in the pharma and drug industry. Along with his sister Dona, he inherited the biotech company Serono, which he sold to Merck. Later, the two founded the Bertarelli Foundation, which ironically works for marine conservation and life sciences research. In 2022, Leonardo was seen basking in the St Barts’ sun along with Camila Morrone , Al Pacino’s stepdaughter in 2022.

In Case You Missed: Leonardo DiCaprio Girlfriend: Gisele Bundchen To Blake Lively, Every Women ‘Titanic’ Star Has Dated

The Specifications Of The Ships

Topaz is amongst one of the biggest superyachts that measure 453 feet in length. It took around $200 million to build this luxurious piece of heaven. The craft launched back in 2012 and gets power from four M90 engines operating on diesel. This generates approximately 48,000 horsepower. As per sources, Leonardo rented it for the first time in 2014, two years into the launch.

The extravagant yacht offers smooth sailing with the installation of a speed stabilizer. It has eight deck levels to accommodate its hosts and guests throughout the vessel. The luxurious lifestyle of this vessel contains a cinema hall, two hot tubs, three swimming pools, underwater lights, air conditioning throughout, a fitness hall, and a conference room.

The Vava II vessel is again a product of 2012 engineering by Devonport in the United Kingdom. A Hampshire-based company RWD and Remi Tessier conceived the designs of the ship. It can carry 523,000 liters and 96,000 liters of fuel and water, respectively on board. The ship has 2 MTU engines which provides it amazing speed ranging from 15.0 kn to 19.0 kn. It ranks 84th on the list of the superyachts.

Controversies Related To The Actor’s Climate Activism

The controversy starts with the fact that Leonardo made a plea while receiving his first-ever Oscar to help fight climate change. The reason was he took a flight of 8000 miles in a private jet to reach the yacht leaving carbon footprints in the air and then to Brazil with his yacht. The Hollywood environmentalist managed his time to receive awards for his contribution to the environment. But each trip is through private jets . This produces pollution which can’t be denied.

An environmentalist Sarah Clayton defended the star amidst the criticism for leaving heavy carbon footprints yachting in such super yachts. Sarah said, “I know celebrities lead these crazy lives, but ‘Don’t Look Up’ has done so much to make people aware of climate change.” The actor has been participating in activism since 2014 when he held a demonstration in Manhattan addressing the dangers of climate change in the United Nations.

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• Leonardo DiCaprio

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Watch CBS News

Leonardo DiCaprio helps save man who fell overboard in the Caribbean

By Alex Sundby

January 9, 2020 / 7:27 PM EST / CBS News

Leonardo DiCaprio got to play a real-life hero to a man who fell off a yacht in the Caribbean and had to tread water for hours. The Oscar-winning actor, his girlfriend and their friends were on a luxury vessel last week when an emergency call went out asking for help looking for the man, Britain's The Sun newspaper reported .

The vessel carrying DiCaprio and his crew was near the island of St. Bart's, and the man fell overboard near the neighboring island of St. Martin, according to the Sun. "The captain of his ship sent out a panicked emergency message and Leonardo and his team agreed to look for the poor guy," a source told the newspaper.

The man was found near Saba island, south of St. Martin, the Sun reported. He was severely dehydrated and had been treading water for 11 hours, the source told the newspaper.

"I should have died," the man reportedly said after he was rescued. The luxury vessel's crew gave him food and dry clothes before handing him off to authorities.

Over the weekend, DiCaprio attended the Golden Globe Awards , where he was nominated for best actor in a musical or comedy film for his performance in "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood." Taron Egerton won the award for his portrayal of Elton John in "Rocketman."

• Leonardo DiCaprio

Alex Sundby is a senior editor at CBSNews.com. In addition to editing content, Alex also covers breaking news, writing about crime and severe weather as well as everything from multistate lottery jackpots to the July Fourth hot dog eating contest.

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Leonardo DiCaprio took an outrageous 8000 mile trip in a private jet to pick up an environmental award

Leonardo DiCaprio expanded his carbon footprint last week, taking a one-day trans-Atlantic roundtrip in a private jet. The actor, who entreated viewers to “work together” to fight climate change while accepting his first Oscar in March, flew 8,000 miles from Cannes to New York City to pick up an award from a clean-water advocacy group at the Riverkeeper Fishermen’s Ball, according to Page Six .

The actor then flew back to Cannes to attend an AIDS benefit gala 24 hours later.

DiCaprio has been positioning himself as an environmental advocate. His foundation, which he named after himself, pledged $15 million in grants to help protect the environment at the World Economic Forum in July 2015. In March, he cited climate change in his Oscar acceptance speech for  The Revenant. And, in April, the actor spoke  at the UN Paris Agreement signing, reminding the audience that “our planet cannot be saved unless we leave fossil fuels in the ground where they belong.”

But the attention DiCaprio is getting comes at a cost. Environmentalists have been quick to note that the actor’s lifestyle choices are less-than-exemplary by environmental standards. Clean energy analyst Robert Rapier tallied up the actor’s carbon footprint in a recent Forbes op-ed . DiCaprio chartered the world’s fifth largest yacht , owned by a UAE oil tycoon, in 2014, Rapier writes. He also took six trips on a private jet over the course of six weeks that same year.

DiCaprio claims that he offsets his annual 11-ton carbon footprint by participating in a organization called Future Forests, which plants trees based on the amount of carbon travelers emit into the atmosphere by taking planes, trains, and—in the case at hand—luxury yachts. But the organization is severely underestimating the actor’s yearly carbon emissions, according to Rapier, who estimates the actor’s carbon footprint adds up to much more than 11 tons.

DiCaprio’s six-week, six-flight binge in 2014 would have added up to 44 tons had the actor taken commercial flights—and private jets typically emit 37 times the personal carbon emissions of commercial flights, according to an article in the Daily Mail. Add in the actor’s yacht habit, and you’re well above 11 tons, according to Rapier. ”In case you are wondering, neither the jets nor the yacht run on solar power,” he says.

We reached out to DiCaprio’s representatives for comment and have not yet heard back.

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Leonardo DiCaprio goes on and on about his environmental activism but he’s not above taking a helicopter from his yacht to land.

Eco warrior Leonardo DiCaprio takes helicopter from yacht to dinner Back to video

Go on Leo’s social media feeds and while he is famous for not detailing his private life, he isn’t lacking passion — albeit, about the environment and climate action.

But the Oscar winner doesn’t always back up his beliefs.

The actor-activist is reportedly in Italy — more specifically, the waters near the Italian shore – where he is vacationing on his yacht, as celebrities do, according to German newspaper Bild.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio)

For visits to the countryside, whether it be lunch or dinner or a nightclub, DiCaprio reportedly hops on a helicopter while aboard his luxury liner and heads to land — and back, of course.

La dolce vita at the expense of the environment? What would fellow celebrity climate activist Greta Thunberg say?

DiCaprio’s shore excursions are short and anything but green, making his speeches about reducing carbon emissions all the more sanctimonious.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

While it could be argued that the actor wasn’t going to swim to shore, there are more environmentally friendly ways to travel, particularly for someone who preaches about stopping climate change and building a sustainable economic future.

In 2016, during the Cannes Film Festival, DiCaprio reportedly left the French Riviera by private jet for a brief trip to New York City — to accept an environmental award, the New York Post reported at the time.

He hopped back on another private jet the following day to attend a gala in Antibes, France — a reported 12.8 kilometres from the film fest — and nearly 13,000 kilometres of air travel in two days.

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Leonardo DiCaprio: A Leading Voice in the Battle Against Climate Change

• October 18, 2023
• Climate Activism

In a world where we’re racing against time to combat the climate crisis, celebrities often use their fame for different reasons. But there are some who step beyond the glitz and glamor of Hollywood to champion a cause that’s bigger than themselves. Leonardo DiCaprio is one such individual, a name recognized by millions for his outstanding acting career and also celebrated for his unwavering dedication to protecting the environment and fighting climate change.

You might remember him from some of his famous movies like “Titanic,” “Inception,” and “The Revenant.” Yet, beyond the silver screen, DiCaprio has become a passionate climate action activist, using not only his fame but also his wealth and enthusiasm to tackle one of the most critical issues of our time. His journey from an acclaimed actor to an environmental advocate has not only transformed his public image but has also sparked a global movement.

In this article, we will explore the remarkable transformation of Leonardo DiCaprio from a celebrated actor to a leading voice in the battle against climate change. We’ll also take a look at some of his famous movies to help you understand the man behind the activism, as well as his influential initiatives, the impact of his work, and the pressing urgency of the cause he champions.

How does it start?

From a young age, Leonardo DiCaprio’s career interests extended beyond acting. He once aspired to become a marine biologist, but destiny had other plans. His acting journey began at just five years old. As a child, his environmental awareness was sparked by documentaries highlighting the destruction of rainforests, leaving a lasting impact on him. In 1998, at the age of 24, DiCaprio had a pivotal meeting at the White House with then-US Vice President Al Gore, a prominent advocate for addressing the climate crisis. The primary purpose of this meeting was to discuss the pressing issue of global warming. DiCaprio considers this meeting a milestone in his journey toward climate activism.

In 1998, at the age of 24, after collaborating with director James Cameron on the film Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio was inspired to become a climate activist. He established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation with a mission to protect the Earth’s remaining wild places and find solutions for a more harmonious relationship between humanity and nature. Through grants, public campaigns, and media projects, he has directed attention and funding toward biodiversity protection, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change initiatives.

DiCaprio’s foundation supports more than 35 innovative conservation projects globally, focusing on safeguarding fragile ecosystems and vital species. He also holds positions on the boards of several environmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund , Natural Resources Defense Council , International Fund for Animal Welfare ,  Pristine Seas, and Oceans 5. Additionally, he advises The Solutions Project, an organization dedicated to expanding the use of clean, renewable energy.

DiCaprio’s Environmental Engagement and Advocacy

Leonardo DiCaprio’s commitment to environmental causes has led him to stand alongside notable figures who share his passion for planet protection. In 2017, he collaborated with Prince Albert of Monaco at the Monte-Carlo Gala for the Global Ocean . In 2019, he joined Prince Harry and former President Barack Obama at Google Camp in Sicily. Notably, in 2021, DiCaprio toured a Stella McCartney sustainable fashion exhibit at the COP26 summit with Prince Charles (now King Charles III).

DiCaprio’s environmental activism extends to working with high-profile environmental activists like David Attenborough , Greta Thunberg , and Jane Goodall . 

He was appointed as the UN’s Messenger of Peace for Climate in 2014 by then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in recognition of his significant climate advocacy efforts. Messengers of Peace are influential figures who draw global attention to critical global issues and the UN’s work, with fellow Messengers hailing from various fields.

       (UN’s Messenger of Peace for Climate in 2014)

Impactful Contributions Through Documentary Films

DiCaprio’s dedication to climate action and his role as an actor have given him unique opportunities to advocate for change. He made his mark in the world of documentary filmmaking in 2007 when he narrated, produced, and co-wrote “ The 11th Hour ,” which confronted viewers with expert views on the state of the planet. This was followed by his role as a UN ambassador in “ Before the Flood .” He also produced documentaries like “ And We Go Green ” (about electric Formula E racing), “ Cowspiracy ” (exploring the impact of animal agriculture), and “ Catching The Sun ” (on solar power). DiCaprio narrated “ Ice on Fire ,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2021, he starred in the fictional film “Don’t Look Up,” a metaphor for climate change, as it portrayed astronomers on a media tour to warn humanity about an Earth-destroying comet. Additionally, his involvement in conservation documentaries includes producing and narrating “The Eleventh Hour” in 2007, “Ice And Fire” (focusing on global warming), and producing “Water Planet” and “Global Warning.” 

“Don’t Look Up” is a satirical film that humorously highlights the response of influential politicians, corporate entities, and the media to the pressing issue of climate change. In the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio and his co-star Jennifer Lawrence portray astronomers who find themselves in a desperate race against time, attempting to mobilize action to address an incoming comet hurtling towards Earth, only to encounter a tragically indifferent world.

Moreover, DiCaprio has used his influence to support animal rights advocacy, such as in the 2016 Netflix documentary “The Ivory Game,” shedding light on Africa’s illegal ivory trade, and the 2021 documentary “Fin,” directed by Eli Roth, which exposed shark extinction.

Conservation Initiatives and Philanthropy

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) made its first significant conservation grant in 2010, donating $1 million in partnership with WWF to support an innovative project in Nepal. This initiative worked across the Terai Arc Landscape, strengthening anti-poaching efforts, protecting critical tiger breeding areas, monitoring tiger populations, and restoring essential corridors to facilitate tiger mobility. The project has made remarkable progress toward doubling Nepal’s wild tiger population.

Since the inaugural grant, LDF has awarded over $80 million in conservation grants for projects worldwide. In 2013, the foundation supported a WWF petition signed by 1.5 million people, urging Thailand to end its ivory trade. The initiative was successful, leading to Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pledging to end the ivory trade. DiCaprio’s foundation has played a pivotal role in advancing wildlife conservation and protecting our planet’s biodiversity.

Harnessing Social Media for Impact

He harnesses the power of social media for a greater good. With an extensive following on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, where he has over 50 million and 19 million followers, respectively, Leonardo DiCaprio consistently uses his online presence to advocate for the causes that deeply resonate with him. His social media accounts serve as a hub for campaigns, brimming with posts that spotlight critical issues such as climate change, women’s rights, conservation, and wildlife protection. DiCaprio isn’t one to tiptoe around these topics; he places them firmly in the spotlight.

When it comes to demonstrating community spirit, environmental consciousness, and an unwavering commitment to fostering positive change, DiCaprio sets a commendable example for us all. His charitable endeavors persist with an enduring impact that stretches far and wide, echoing the sentiments of his timeless words: ‘Near, far, wherever you are, Leo’s charity work goes on and on.

Dicaprio’s Famous speech on Oscar Stage

In 2016, In front of an audience of 34.4 million viewers, during his acceptance speech at the Oscars for his performance in “The Revenant,” Leonardo DiCaprio made a powerful statement about his deep concerns regarding the climate crisis.

“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 or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous peoples of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will 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”

You can watch his speech here

Leonardo DiCaprio’s remarkable transformation from a celebrated actor to a leading climate change advocate is a testament to his enduring commitment. His legacy is not just on the silver screen; it’s etched in his tireless efforts to safeguard our planet and advocate for those whose voices are often drowned out by the politics of greed. His journey inspires us all to take action and address the climate crisis collectively. As we heed his call to stop procrastinating, support leaders who speak for humanity, and protect the underprivileged and future generations, we can work towards a more sustainable and harmonious world.

-With inputs from Dinesh Balasri –

CFC Sri Lanka

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