UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Don Cheadle, UNEP Regional Director for North America, Patricia Beneke and Walker Smith from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Lead Paint Alliance's goal to eliminate lead in paint around the world by 2020, at the Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day celebration on 18 April on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. They were joined by representatives from the World Health Organization and the paint industry.
Organized by the Global Poverty Project and the Earth Day Network, the rally to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, attracted more than 300,000 people and millions of viewers online. The event featured high-profile officials including UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde, as well as many celebrities who made commitments to resolving climate change and eliminating poverty. Performers included Usher, No Doubt, Train, Fall Out Boy and Mary J. Blige, among others.
In addition to delivering the call to action to eliminate lead in paint on stage, Don Cheadle also participated in a high-level round-table session on climate change communication strategies with Earth Day founder, Denis Hayes, NASA astronaut, Piers Sellers, and other officials. The discussion focused on identifying new engagement methods and the means of measuring impact to advance climate solutions.
