World’s richest man Jeff Bezos pledges US$10 billion to fight climate change
- Facing pressure from activists and his own employees, Jeff Bezos says he wanted to help tackle ‘the biggest threat to our planet’
- Bezos Earth Fund, which will support scientists, activists and non-profit groups, will start issuing grants this summer as part of initiative
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced he’s created the Bezos Earth Fund, his biggest-ever philanthropic investment to help counter the effects of climate change.
Bezos is starting with US$10 billion and will begin to issue grants in a few months.
“It’s going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organisations and individuals,” he said Monday in a post on Instagram. “We can save Earth.”
Bezos, the world’s richest person, is under pressure to balance Amazon’s need to deliver goods quickly with the environmental consequences of the rapid growth of online shopping.
There is tension within Amazon on the issue, with some employees saying the company isn’t doing enough and there is a threat of punishment for those who are too outspoken on the matter.