The richest man in the world Jeff Bezos, founder of the online trading giant Amazon denounced for his impact on the environment, announced the creation of a "Bezos Fund for the Earth" in order to contribute to the fight against climate change. On his Instagram account, he announced Monday that he personally endowed the fund with $ 10 billion "to start with." This sum represents 7.7% of his personal fortune, estimated at $ 130 billion by Forbes .
"We can save the Earth"
"This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs - any effort that offers a real opportunity to help preserve and protect the natural world," added the Amazon boss. He said the first grants would be awarded this summer.
"We can save the Earth," he said in the message, accompanied by a photo of the planet, pleading for "collective action by big and small businesses, states, global organizations and individuals." "I want to work with others to increase known resources and also to look for new ways to fight the devastating impact of climate change," said Bezos. "The Earth is the only thing we all have in common. Let's protect it, together," he concluded.
"Tackling climate change is an incredibly difficult and costly challenge"
The amount promised by Jeff Bezos represents "a lot of money," according to Dave Reay, professor and executive director of the Center for Carbon Innovation at the University of Edinburgh. "But tackling climate change is an incredibly difficult and costly challenge. The $ 10 billion will no doubt have a real impact and it's great to see that the focus will be on strengthening existing solutions as well than on discovering new solutions. "
Jeff Bezos' announcement comes 20 days after 300 Amazon employees signed criticism of their group, including about its environmental policy. The Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ) group is pushing the company to go further in its plan for the environment announced with great publicity in September. Jeff Bezos then promised that Amazon would achieve carbon neutrality in 2040, 10 years ahead of the commitments of the Paris agreement.