Amazon Boss Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion For Climate Change Fight

World’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, has pledged $10 billion to help combat climate change in a new initiative he called the Bezos Earth Fund. 

“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.”, Bezos wrote on his Instagram.

“This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs - any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world. We can save Earth. It's going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organisations, and individuals.⁣⁣⁣” he added.

 

 

 

 

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Today, I’m thrilled to announce I am launching the Bezos Earth Fund.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 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. This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world. We can save Earth. It’s going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organizations, and individuals. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ I’m committing $10 billion to start and will begin issuing grants this summer. Earth is the one thing we all have in common — let’s protect it, together.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ - Jeff

A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) on Feb 17, 2020 at 10:00am PST

With an estimated net worth of more than $130 billion, he has pledged almost eight percent of his fortune.

The move comes at a time when Amazon and particularly Bezos has been criticised for his ‘limited’ philanthropic works and doing less to fight climate change.

Bezos has also been criticised for the carbon footprint left behind by his space programme company, Blue Origin and not signing the Giving Pledge, under which insanely rich people promise to give away half of their wealth during their lifetimes.

His biggest known donation before his $10 billion pledge was back in September 2018 when he donated $2 billion to help homeless families and fund schools.