Rihanna efforts for against climate change 

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

#Barbados, December 5, 2023 – Global pop star and business owner Rihanna called on Janet Yellen, US Treasury Secretary and Ajay Banga, World Bank Chief, to join the fight against climate change for communities most affected.

The Barbadian singer and businesswoman took to her twitter in June this year to confront the need for action from Yellen and Banga.

She said, “Hey @SecYellen & #Ajay Banga, will you join @miaamormottley and step up for communities hit hardest by climate emergencies? We need you to make bold commitments to finance & debt reforms.”

She continued to point out her efforts to help address the climate crisis with her Clara Lionel Foundation

“I address climate with @ClaraLionelFdn, now it’s your turn.”

The singer also put in here appeal, the link to ‘action platform’ organisation Global Citizen, which is campaigning for global financial reform to address the interconnected crises of climate change, hunger and inequity.

Mia Amor Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, Rihanna’s home country, thanked Rihanna for her tweet, reports say, expressing that the Bridgetown Initiative is the “opportunity” that world leaders need to take.

Rihanna’s foundation, named after her grandparents, prioritizes climate resilience and climate Justice work and has donated millions in grants since being founded in 2012.

In fact, in 2019, after launching its Climate Resilience Initiative (CRI), to enhance emergency preparedness, it donated $1million in grants to The Bahamas, providing emergency food and medicine following Hurricane Dorian.

Also, last year, her foundation donated €13 million (USD$15 million) to the climate movement.

She said the donation to 18 climate justice organisations would contribute to seven Caribbean nations and the US, including the Climate Justice Alliance, the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Movement for Black Lives.

The grants, reports say, made in partnership with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s StartSmall philanthropic initiative, target groups with female, LGBT, Black and Indigenous leaders given that because their communities are most at risk.