Critics Say Live Earth Concerts Too Broad to Do Good

With many of the most popular names in music set to perform at the eight Live Earth concerts worldwide on Saturday, some critics are questioning whether its goal of fighting climate change is too broad to do much good, reports the Associated Press.

To create Live Earth, former Vice President Al Gore collaborated with Kevin Wall, an Emmy-winning concert producer who was behind the Live 8 concerts in support of antipoverty efforts two years ago. This year’s concerts seek to “trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis,” according to Live Earth’s Web site.

However, Bob Geldof, the performer and activist who founded Live 8, has voiced criticisms of the group, recently telling a Dutch newspaper that Live Earth lacks “concrete environmental measures from the American presidential candidates, Congress, or major corporations.”

But Mr. Wall disagrees.

“This concert is not the solution,” he says. “This concert is providing, hopefully, that global tipping point to start to get us into empowering people, get them into the tent.”

Tickets for the American concert, to be held in East Rutherford, N.J., are priced at $83 to $348, and the proceeds will support the Alliance for Climate Protection, an organization Mr. Gore chairs.