Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, announced he was committing $10 billion to a new fund, aimed at fighting climate change. He added the foundation would begin issuing grants this summer.
The new Bezos Earth Fund would “fund scientists, activists, NGOs – any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world”, Bezos said in an Instagram post.
Bezos is also the world’s richest person. His net worth is estimated to be around $130 billion. Bill Gates is second with $119 billion.
“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet”, Bezos said, and added: “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”.
Amazon relies on fossil fuels to power the vehicles that ship its packages. It has pledged to become net zero carbon by 2040. It also said that it would order 100,000 electric delivery trucks.
Its employees have often been protesting about some of its practices, in particular, over creating large amounts of waste from the packaging it delivers its products in, as well as for the emissions from huge fleets of delivery vehicles.
Amazon founder launches $10bn fund to fight climate change
EPA-EFE/MICHAEL REYNOLDS
Founder and CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos participates in the unveiling of an Amazon environmental initiative entitled 'The Climate Pledge', in Washington, DC, USA, 19 September 2019. Amazon's new environmental initiative aims to meet the goals of the Paris environmental agreement ten years early, or in 2040. Amazon has acquired one hundred thousand new electric delivery vehicles as part of that aim.
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