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Leonardo DiCaprio gets a climate-change gig with the U.N.

Leonardo DiCaprio, shown at Oceana's annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach in August, is now a U.N. Messenger of Peace, focusing on climate change.
Leonardo DiCaprio, shown at Oceana’s annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach in August, is now a U.N. Messenger of Peace, focusing on climate change.
(Jason Kempin / Getty Images)
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Leonardo DiCaprio will be the face of the United Nations’ effort to raise awareness of its climate change efforts.

The “Wolf of Wall Street” star was bestowed the rather weighty-sounding title of “Messenger of Peace” on Tuesday, courtesy of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“Honored to accept at this key moment for #Climate2014,” DiCaprio tweeted, alluding to the U.N. Climate Summit set for Sept. 23 in New York, where he’s been invited to speak.

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“I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history -- it is a moment for action,” he said in a longer statement given to the United Nations. “How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet.”

In addition to his reputation as a guy who loves dating models, DiCaprio is known as an environmentalist and activist.

“Mr. DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message,” the secretary-general said in a statement.

The “Titanic” star’s namesake foundation, dedicated to the preservation of the Earth’s wild places, has given grants to groups working to save tigers and sharks; preserve rainforests, Antarctica and the oceans; and provide clean water to hundreds of thousands of people in Africa.

Other Hollywood actors among the dozen luminaries with Messenger of Peace duties are Michael Douglas, focusing on disarmament; Edward Norton, focusing on biodiversity; and Charlize Theron, focusing on HIV prevention.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

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