Jeff Bezos announces $1 billion Earth Fund grant for 'climate conservation purposes'

Amazon CEO and billionaire Jeff Bezos, on September 21, announced the grant of $1 billion as a kickstart to his efforts towards climate conservation. The announcement is a part of the Bezos Earth Fund (BEF) that has pledged a total of $10 billion, which will be granted to activists, scientists and groups that are working to tackle climate change. According to CNBC’s report, the upcoming funds, after the conservation-oriented one, will intend to support food system transportation efforts along with landscape restoration. 

Areas housing indigenous people a priority

Citing the official statement from the Bezos Earth Fund, media sources reported that the donations for conservation programs will primarily be used in areas housing local communities and indigenous people. However, the names of the organizations that will receive the grants are yet to be disclosed.

BEF stated that the grants will initially focus on areas of Central Africa’s Congo Basin, the tropical Andes region and the tropical Pacific Ocean, for their biodiversity and carbon stocks including the amount of carbon stored in their vegetation, soils and ocean. 

BEF also stated in a press release that the grants in the coming years will then progress towards creating, expanding, managing and monitoring the protected and conserved areas, reported media sources. As per CNBC, BEF had earlier pledged $203.7 million by the end of 2021 to organizations that are advancing towards climate justice. Reports further suggested that this announcement followed the previous donation of $790 million that the body had channelled to 16 different organisations.

What is the Bezos Earth Fund?

Jeff Bezos had introduced the Earth Fund by pledging $10 billion in 2020 with an aim to soothe the effects of climate change by 2030. The Earth Fund will reportedly channelise $1 billion each year towards climate-oriented causes. According to media sources, the e-commerce giant's goal is to create a pool of capital to prepare the scientists, activists and other organizations for amplifying the fight against climate change.

Last year, Bezos had publicised his step while calling out big companies, small companies, nation-states, global organizations, and individuals against climate change. Bezos has reportedly been criticised in the past as people accuse Amazon's e-commerce and shipping business of global carbon emissions.

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