Billionaire John Doerr's gift to Stanford University.. College for Sustainability

Doerr donated $1.1 billion to the university.

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Stanford University has received $1.1 billion in its largest-ever grant from billionaire John Doerr to fund a new college focused on climate change, sparking debate over whether billionaires' donations are enough to combat the climate crisis.

The California-based university said in a statement yesterday: “The first new college at Stanford University in 70 years will open this fall, in the name of Stanford Doyer School of Sustainability, in a gesture of honor after a $1.1 billion gift from John and (his wife). ) Ann Doerr, which is the largest (scholarship) in the history of the university.”

"Climate and sustainability will be the new computer science," Doerr told the New York Times in an interview published yesterday.

Doerr amassed his fortune, estimated at more than $11 billion, by investing in technology companies such as Alphabet's Google and Amazon.

Doerr is among a number of billionaires, including Jeff Bezos and Michael Bloomberg, who in recent years have donated money to fight climate change.

Experts said the climate crisis should not depend on the philanthropy of billionaires, and that governments should create appropriate tax systems to ensure billionaires pay their fair share.

This grant is the largest ever for a university to establish a new college, and is the second largest gift to an academic institution, according to the "Chronicle of Higher Education."

Aaron Majumdar, who advised the administrations of former US President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden on energy issues, was named the first dean of the college, which will open next fall.

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