The elites are partying in style this weekend by jetting off to Italy aboard a private plane to celebrate Jeff Bezos’ $50–100 million wedding. Despite self-proclaiming themselves “climate activists,” celebrities, including Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, the Kardashians, and Leonardo DiCaprio, will have no issue boarding one of the nearly 90 private jets that Bezos has arranged for them to fly to his wedding to Lauren Sanchez.
While the same billionaire class that lectures the rest of the United States about climate change and “equity” seems to have no problem burning jet fuel and flaunting obscene wealth, all while everyday citizens struggled to afford groceries and gas over the last four years.
Earlier this year, Gates told CNBC that wealthy nations have a moral responsibility to achieve net-zero emissions first. He said that while poorer countries may not reach absolute zero, developed nations must demonstrate the way forward by innovating and using clean energy to show an actionable solution. He also wrote a book, "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster," in which he stated that countries must cut emissions across various sectors, including steel, cement, and transportation.
Meanwhile, for years, DiCaprio has stressed that climate change isn't fiction. Through his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, the actor has donated over $100 million to projects protecting rainforests, oceans, endangered species, and Indigenous communities. In addition, as U.N. Messenger of Peace for climate, he urged leaders to enforce carbon pricing, eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, and earnestly implement the Paris Agreement. He recently faced criticism for taking a private jet from Cannes to New York City and back—an 8,000-mile round trip—to attend an environmental award ceremony.
According to a 2023 report, it was revealed that U.S.-based private jets generated 65 percent of global private-jet emissions, up to 19.5 million metric tons of CO₂. Celebrities often fly these jets, which emit 5–14 times more per passenger than commercial airlines.
