Leonardo DiCaprio uses Oscar speech to speak out on climate change

While Leonardo Dicapriotook home his first Oscar Sunday at the 88th annual Academy Awards, he used his speech to discuss climate change, emphasizing that he saw the direct results of the changing planet while filming "The Revenant."

"Making 'The Revenant' was about man's relationship to the natural world, the world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in reported history — our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow," DiCaprio said. "Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It's the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating."

Dicaprio continued, "We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children's children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted."

RELATED: Oscar Winners 2016: Complete List

An environmentalist, the actor often uses social media as a platform to inform others about the planet's issues, often retweeting President Obama, Wold Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace and sharing relevant articles on his Facebook page. Earlier this month, Dicaprio received the Crystal Award, which recognizes the achievements of leading artists who have shown commitment to improving the state of the world, at the World Economic Forum.

DiCaprio wasn't the only winner to speak out about climate change. Jenny Beavan, who won best costume design for "Mad Max: Fury Road," also took the opportunity to talk about the environment.

"I just want to say one quite serious thing, I've been thinking about this a lot, but actually it could be horribly prophetic, 'Mad Max,' if we're not kinder to each other, and if we don't stop polluting our atmosphere, so you know, it could happen," Beavan said.

PHOTOS: All the photos inside the 2016 Oscars