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'The climate crisis is right now:' Adam McKay joins climate rally in Downtown LA

'Don't Look Up' Director Adam McKay Joins Climate Strike In Downtown LA 00:43

Acclaimed director Adam McKay, of recent Netflix film "Don't Look Up," joined the Youth Climate Strike rally in Downtown Los Angeles Friday.

The rally, put together by both an indigenous and youth-led group of activists, gathered in Pershing Square Friday afternoon before marching to City National Bank on Grand Avenue.

With the Wet'suwet'en tribe in mind, organizers arranged the rally as the tribe's territory and water supply is threatened by the construction of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline in British Columbia, Canada.

McKay, a Canadian native, took over the megaphone once the group reached the steps of the bank, where he shouted, "You are destroying the livable climate. Is it worth it?" To which the crowd behind him shouting a resounding, "No!"

The construction is funded by both the City National Bank and the Royal Bank of Canada, and should they fail to "meet the demands of the Wet'suwet'en tribe" by stopping their backing of the construction, McKay's company plans to remove, or divest, its funds from the bank.

McKay continued with his outraged and impassioned speech over the megaphone, as detailed by City News Service, where he was seen shouting, "You are destroying lives, you are destroying indigenous people. Is it worth it? How much is enough? That's the question we ask you. At what point does human decency enter the board room? That's the question we ask."

Following the rally, he was available to speak with CBS reporters, where he said, "The climate crisis is right now. It's not 40 years, it's not 80 years away, it's right now -- and the banks are financing it."

Additionally, the rally called upon the California Teachers Association union, asking that they also divest their over $20 billion in pension funds from fossil fuels.

Bank representatives were unavailable for comment, though the California State Teachers Retirement System did offer a statement on the incident to CBS reporters early Friday evening, which read:

"CalSTRS commends student activists in California and around the globe for raising awareness about the urgent risk of climate change. CalSTRS believes climate change is one of the greatest threats to the future, with undeniable links to business and financial investments. The vast impacts of climate change threaten health and safety, our environment and the global economy, which put the CalSTRS investment portfolio at risk.

CalSTRS is focused on ensuring a secure retirement for California's nearly 1 million working and retired public school educators. Climate change is about more than fossil fuel companies; our entire investment portfolio is affected by climate risk. Divesting from fossil fuels ignores the larger climate change risks to the our portfolio. CalSTRS' approach is more holistic and includes measuring emissions, engaging directly with companies, working to expand government policies, and investing in solutions."

Another rally is scheduled a week from Friday, the same day that a series of discussions begin for the CTA State Council of Education, where one topic covered will be a "forum on fossil fuel stocks.''

"Don't Look Up," recently nominated for several awards throughout the entertainment industry, is a satirical look at how the public and world leaders would respond in the event of an immediate conclusion to the climate change crisis plaguing Earth.

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