Celebrities Who Care About Climate Change

Plenty of famous faces use their platforms for more than entertainment. Many have spent years funding projects, building organizations, and showing up in rooms where policy and science meet, all to push real progress on climate. The people below have tied their names to measurable efforts that protect forests and oceans, cut pollution, and speed up clean energy.

This list focuses on concrete actions like foundations, investments, public campaigns, and partnerships with credible groups. You will see donations, programs, and roles that continue to move money, attention, and technology toward solutions that reduce emissions and help communities adapt.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio started the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in the late 1990s to support wildlife conservation and climate solutions, then helped launch Earth Alliance to scale that work globally. His funding has backed projects that restore ecosystems, protect oceans, and support climate justice, including a major pledge to protect the Galápagos and critical habitats for threatened species.

He also serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace for climate, which has placed him in key forums where finance and policy are discussed. His documentary work and public campaigns have directed additional grants toward frontline groups and research organizations focused on renewable energy, marine reserves, and forest protection.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda created Fire Drill Fridays to keep climate on the public agenda with regular peaceful demonstrations and teach ins. The campaign has trained volunteers, amplified youth organizers, and pressed lawmakers to pass legislation that cuts greenhouse gases and invests in clean jobs.

She also founded the Jane Fonda Climate PAC to support candidates who commit to strong climate policy. The PAC channels donations into targeted races, aiming to shift committee leadership and votes toward clean energy standards, methane limits, and environmental justice priorities.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo cofounded The Solutions Project to fund and spotlight community led climate solutions. The group provides grants and media support to organizations advancing rooftop solar, building electrification, energy efficiency, and local ownership models in neighborhoods that face the highest pollution burdens.

He also helped start Water Defense to monitor water quality in places affected by oil and gas operations. His advocacy has supported anti fracking measures, stricter methane rules, and state commitments that accelerate the transition to one hundred percent clean electricity.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. launched Footprint Coalition to invest in climate technology that can scale. The coalition backs startups working on battery recycling, bio based materials, sustainable agriculture, carbon removal, and other hardware and software that reduce emissions across supply chains.

The organization also runs a media arm that explains climate tech to a broad audience and connects founders with partners. Through venture funds and philanthropic pilots, the coalition helps companies validate their science, win early customers, and expand manufacturing that displaces fossil fuel intensive products.

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg ignited a global school strike movement that organized weekly actions in thousands of cities. The network created by Fridays for Future helped push governments to adopt stronger emissions targets and brought youth climate litigation and climate education into mainstream policy debates.

She has spoken at major summits and parliamentary hearings and has worked with scientists to communicate clear carbon budgets and timelines. Her public campaigns have raised funds for community groups and have kept attention on the gap between national pledges and the reductions needed to meet established temperature goals.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish redesigned touring practices to cut waste and emissions in partnership with sustainability groups that audit venues and logistics. Her shows offer water refill stations, reduced single use plastic, and fan education hubs that connect audiences with local climate organizations.

She also convened Overheated, a series of events that brings experts, activists, and artists together to share practical solutions. Revenue and partnerships from these efforts have supported plant based food programs, climate voter outreach, and grants for youth led projects.

Chris Martin

Chris Martin has led Coldplay in building a lower impact touring model that collects and stores clean electricity at shows. The tour setup uses rechargeable battery systems, solar arrays, and energy generating dance floors to power lighting and sound while publishing data on fuel use and freight.

The band supports reforestation and nature restoration with a tree planting initiative that aligns with ticket sales. It also funds research into sustainable materials for staging and merchandise and shares learnings with other artists who want to adopt similar practices.

Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa launched Mananalu to reduce plastic waste by replacing single use bottles with aluminum packaged water. The company funds the removal of ocean bound plastic and works with retailers and productions to shift procurement away from plastic packaging.

He has served as an advocate for ocean protection within the United Nations system, using that role to support marine protected areas and community led fisheries management. His campaigns have highlighted island nations that face sea level rise and have connected policy makers with local conservation programs.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett helped the Sydney Theatre Company install a large rooftop solar array and upgrade energy efficiency across its facilities. The project cut operating emissions and demonstrated how cultural institutions can integrate clean power and demand management into existing buildings.

She also created a podcast that profiles people delivering climate solutions in homes, neighborhoods, and businesses. The series has featured community energy coops, circular economy innovators, and retrofit programs, and has directed listeners to toolkits and groups that can be replicated in other cities.

Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, where he supports initiatives that address climate impacts like drought and desertification. His work with the agency connects public attention to projects that deploy clean cookstoves, restore degraded land, and build early warning systems.

He has participated in education campaigns that bring climate science to television and classrooms. Those efforts have directed funding to local organizations that install small scale solar, improve water access, and train farmers in practices that increase yields while storing more carbon in soils.

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme with a focus on forests and rivers in Brazil. Her personal projects have replanted native trees along waterways and supported community led conservation in areas where deforestation pressure is high.

She has raised funds for reforestation, mangrove recovery, and wildlife corridors that help biodiversity adapt to a warming climate. Through campaigns and documentary work, she has helped channel donations and corporate support toward restoration programs that create jobs and protect water resources.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger founded R20 Regions of Climate Action to help subnational governments finance low carbon projects. The group connects cities and regions with investors to build renewable energy, efficient buildings, and modern waste systems that cut methane.

He also hosts the Austrian World Summit, which brings together leaders from government and business to share practical solutions. As governor of California he signed a landmark climate law that set statewide targets for reducing emissions and expanding clean energy, establishing a model many jurisdictions later adopted.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley cofounded All It Takes, a nonprofit that trains young people in leadership with an emphasis on environmental stewardship. The organization runs camps and school programs where students design projects on waste reduction, conservation, and sustainability in their communities.

She has supported water protectors and ocean campaigns and has worked with international groups on marine conservation and plastic reduction. Her on the ground participation and fundraising have delivered supplies, legal support, and communications capacity to local organizers.

Sting

Sting cofounded the Rainforest Foundation with Trudie Styler to protect indigenous rights and preserve tropical forests. The foundation partners with local communities to secure land titles, monitor illegal logging, and develop sustainable livelihoods that keep forests standing.

Through benefit concerts and fundraising drives, the foundation has supported programs across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These efforts have helped reduce deforestation, strengthened local governance, and protected vast areas that store carbon and stabilize regional rainfall.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford serves as a longtime leader with Conservation International, where he has helped guide strategy and fundraising for forest and ocean protection. The organization works with governments and communities to create protected areas, expand sustainable fisheries, and pioneer natural climate solutions.

He has delivered high profile speeches that direct attention and resources to conservation finance mechanisms that reward countries for keeping forests intact. His work has helped secure partnerships that channel private and public money into projects that cut emissions while improving livelihoods for people who depend on healthy ecosystems.

Share the celebrities and projects you think deserve a spotlight in the comments.