Leonardo Dicaprio: Rhetorical Analysis

The climate conditions surrounding our Earth have been a topical debate in America for decades, ranging from arguments declaring that global warming is a myth, to others stating that it will be the cause of our timely demise. Subsequently, on September 23 2014, the actor Leonardo Dicaprio spoke at the United Nations Climate Summit to express his concerns about the state of our planet. Moreover, Dicaprio uses logos to suggest that global warming is a genuine threat to the future of our ecosystem.

With this in mind, it is important to note that Dicaprio has been devoted to promoting environmental awareness since the formation of his non-profit organization, the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation. Shortly after the filming of Titanic he founded his

organization in 1998 “with the mission of protecting the world’s last wild places” (Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation). Over the years Dicaprio has worked with a myriad of environmental-based organizations, like World Wildlife Fund and National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, which helped him earn the title of United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change. Furthermore, while presenting his speech at the United Nations Climate Summit, Dicaprio discusses the current deterioration of our Earth. He notes the alarming climate events, the melting of ice caps in West Antarctica and Greenland, as well suggesting the taxation on carbon emission and eliminating government subsidies for oil, coal, and gas companies. He soon closes his speech with proclaiming that this is “not a question of of politics; it is a question of our own survival” (The Daily Conversation).
To begin, Dicaprio brings the increasing severity of natural disasters to attention. He states that. “[d]roughts are intensifying, our oceans are acidifying, with methane plumes rising up from the ocean floor” (The Daily Conversation). Here Dicaprio uses appeal to fear to discuss the severity of climate change. He uses this as a tactic to coax the audience into fearing the effects of global warming. In fact, according to the US Drought Monitor, “ [a]lmost 56 percent of the land area of the 48 contiguous states are currently in moderate drought or worse” (Geographical). With this in mind, Dicaprio is reminding listeners that the harmful effects of droughts affect human’s everyday lives. It causes their food supply to diminish and their habitats to be damaged.
Additionally, Dicaprio goes on to speak about specific climate events.

He notes that, “ [w]e are seeing extreme weather events, and the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets melting at unprecedented rates, decades ahead of scientific projections” ( The Daily Conversation). Here Dicaprio use logos to back up his claims that the Earth is rapidly deteriorating. In doing this, he is able to strengthen and increase the validity of his speech, despite the fact that he is not a reliable source. In fact, scientists have discovered that, “[o]cean warming accounts for about 93% of the total increase in energy storage in the climate system from 1971 to 2010” (Blunden & Arndt ). It is important to note that this increase alters Earth’s natural equilibrium, which forces temperature fluctuation. Dicaprio is attempting to get across that when this happens it makes it more likely for natural disasters to occur, which inherently damages the

Earth.
Moreover, Dicaprio calls out several important groups in America, including the government and military, who he claims are well aware of the state of our ecosystem. He even declared that, “ [t]he Chief of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Locklear, recently said that climate change is our single greatest security threat” (The Daily Conversation). Dicaprio utilizes repetition here, using the phrase “knows it” several times when calling out groups to add emphasis on what is known. By doing this he is engaging the audience and keeping their attention. Additionally, the US military has taken into account that,“ [c]hanges in precipitation patterns may have long-term consequences on access to drinking water, drought, and food production” (Stuhltrager). Here Dicaprio is demonstrating how climate change will negatively affect our military. He wants the listener to realize that global warming will affect their military, and in turn potentially affect their safety.
Lastly, Dicaprio suggests solutions that he believes would benefit our country.

He demanded that, “[w]e need to put a price tag on carbon emissions, and eliminate government subsidies for oil, coal,and gas companies. For the economy itself will die if our eco-systems collapse” (The Daily Conversation). Dicaprio weakens his argument here by making a hasty generalization. He is claiming that if we do not do A (taxation on carbon emissions and eliminate government subsidies) then B (our eco-systems will collapse) will happen. He is basing his conclusion without presenting relevant facts and is providing insufficient evidence to back up his claim. Not only that, but several were quick to criticize Dicaprio's statement, due to the lifestyle he leads. In a report by Mike Ciandella, he notes that shortly after Dicaprio’s speech at the UN he, “had flown to Brazil on a private plane to borrow an oil billionaire’s 470-foot yacht” ( Ciandella). This hypocrisy also weakens his argument due the fact that his actions discredit what he preaching. Not only that, but it takes away from the overall effectiveness of the claims that he is

making.