“Love Song to the Earth” by Various Artists

Image of record cover for “Love Song to the Earth” by various artists (from Genius, 2015).

  • “Love Song to the Earth” is a collaborative project by 16 international artists and musicians including Paul McCartney, Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger, Leona Lewis, Colbie Caillat, John Rzeznik, Sean Paul, Kelsea Ballerini, Krewella, Christina Grimmie, Angelique Kidjo, Victoria Justice, and Q’orianka Kilcher. The song was released to the public in September 2015.
  • The song combines peaceful and uplifting instrumentals with layered vocals and meaningful lyrics. “Love Song to the Earth” emphasizes the beauty of our planet and the importance of taking care of it.
  • You can listen to the song here and read the lyrics here.

How is this related to climate?

  • “Love Song to the Earth” was created to raise public awareness about climate change and protecting the health of the planet. The song was released months ahead of COP 21, the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference where world leaders met in Paris, France to discuss global responses to climate change (image below). 
    • At COP 21, 196 countries signed the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change with a goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This is in an effort to prevent the effects of climate change, such as heat waves, droughts, sea level rise, wildfires, and severe storms, from reaching catastrophic levels of intensity. To achieve this, global greenhouse gas emissions must reach their peak before 2025 and drop by 43% by 2030.
  • Promotions for “Love Song to the Earth” encouraged listeners to take action by signing a petition that was later presented to world leaders at COP 21. The petition was a symbol of global unity and support for the United Nations’ efforts to sign a universal climate change agreement. 

Photograph of world leaders meeting to discuss global climate change policy at COP 21, the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, France (from Ferreira, 2015).

    • All royalties and proceeds earned by “Love Song to the Earth” were donated to Friends of the Earth US and the UN Foundation. The Friends of the Earth is a non-governmental environmental organization (NGO) dedicated to environmental and climate justice. The UN Foundation is a human rights and sustainability-oriented charity.

References and additional resources

How to cite this page

“Love Song to the Earth” by Various Artists. (2024, June 12). Climate in Global Cultures and Histories: Promoting Climate Literacy Across Disciplines. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/love-song-to-the-earth-by-various-artists/.