Jackson Cane
Staff Writer
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, and the world’s richest man, with an estimated net worth of $130 billion, has now committed ten billion dollars to address climate change in what he calls the “Bezos Earth Fund.” Grants are said to be sent out to help fund scientists, non-governmental organizations and activists in support, starting this upcoming summer.
Bezos’s influence came by Amazon employees pushing him on climate issues of the Earth. Over years of walkouts and ultimately talking publicly on the issues as Amazon employees, these employees compelled Bezos to take action.
As the employees applaud his quick actions and step toward a movement, they also look at the bigger aspect of his actions.
One employee from the group “Amazon Employees for Climate Justice” wrote publicly, “...one hand cannot give what the other is taking away.”
Bezo wrote in his Instagram post caption what it means to him, “Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet,” he said. “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.”
Along with spending billions elsewhere to help country issues like homelessness and schooling, this $10 billion contribution will be his biggest donation ever in support of a world issue. Unveiling the Climate Pledge in 2018, Bezos has already set goals for the future. In which he says Amazon as a company will meet the climate agreement of Paris 10 years ahead of plan, as well as being carbon-neutral by 2040.
Amazon revealed its own carbon footprint for 2018 as a company, data centers locating warehouses and the overall global network from shipping and receiving packages. The data there didn’t show the best side of Amazon. With emitting about 44.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, Amazon fell into the top 150-200 list of emitters in the world.
Bezos didn’t fully disclose his ambitions with the money, but he has also been seen as someone for a better Earth and healthier industry. With only $10 billion specifically said to be towards donations and not potential profit investments, it still leaves him the world’s richest man with plenty of money coming from other places and possibly other opportunities to help save the Earth.
