The money will be dispersed among select individuals, groups and organisations to help fund their work. “Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet. I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share,” said Bezos on Instagram.
“This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world.”
Until this donation, The New York Times claim his largest charitable donation to date was $2 billion, which he gave to help homeless families and build a network of Montessori preschools in September 2018.
Last year, Bezos started to take an interest in climate change, revealing Amazon’s Climate Pledge to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement 10 years ahead of schedule and become carbon-neutral by 2040.
Amazon’s impact on the environment is substantial. In September, the company disclosed that it emitted about 44.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2018, which is the equivalent of burning almost 600,000 tanker trucks’ worth of gasoline.
“That would put them in the top 150 or 200 emitters in the world,” Bruno Sarda, President of CDP North America told The New York Times.
Hopefully, Bezos’ newfound commitment to fighting climate change will see additional green practices put in place at Amazon.
“Earth is the one thing we all have in common — let’s protect it, together.,” Bezos concluded in his announcement of the Bezos Earth Fund.
