Covering Up? Jeff Bezos Pledges $10bn for Climate Change
The billionaire isn’t usually vocal about his philanthropy
Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, has decided to help our planet by committing USD 10 (AUD 14.95) billion to fight climate change. The money will be used via a new fund, Bezos Earth Fund. The announcement was made via the official Instagram of Bezos. A person associated with the fund stated that the focus would be on charitable giving instead of private sector investment.
The Amazon CEO was recently in the news when everyone pondered how Jeff Bezos’ phone got hacked. There are no details yet on how and when the program will accept applications of grants.
Jeff Bezos committing the said amount for climate change isn’t a big thing because he already has a worth of USD 130 (about AUD 194) billion. Also, Bezos sometimes comes across as a bit careless about his money. He seemed so when Jeff Bezos got the Warner Estate for USD 165 (About AUD 246) million. It was a California record.
Though this donation by Jeff Bezos is certainly worth appreciating, it is also a fact that the billionaire hasn’t been vocal about his philanthropy when compared to other tech billionaires.
This time his Instagram post read “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 organisations, and individuals. I’m committing $10bn to start and will begin issuing grants this summer. Earth is the one thing we all have in common – let’s protect it, together.”
Though the contribution committed by Jeff Bezos is considerable, his actions are in contradiction with the company’s actions towards the employees who were worried about climate change. For those who are unaware, in January, it was unveiled that many employees who were demanding stronger action on climate change by Amazon were threatened to be quiet or face dismissal.
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