Bezos makes first donations from $10 billion Earth Fund

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man, announced he would give nearly $800 million to various environmental groups in the first donations under his $10 billion Earth Fund.

Among the 16 recipients are well-known climate groups including the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the World Wildlife Fund, each of which will get $100 million.

“This $791 million in donations is just the beginning of my $10 billion commitment to fund scientists, activists, NGOs, and others,” Bezos wrote in an Instagram post announcing the donations.

Even for well-funded environmental groups, the injection of funds is designed to support what Bezos called “needle-moving solutions.”

At EDF, the funding will be used to locate and measure pollution from methane sources, a gas 80 times more heat-trapping than carbon dioxide. 

“We are honored to be included in the first round of funding, which will accelerate climate progress. As people experience more damaging wildfires, air pollution, stronger hurricanes, and deadlier droughts and heat waves, a window of opportunity for action is opening in the U.S. and around the world,” EDF President Fred Krupp said in a statement.

The group normally has a budget of $230 million a year, The Washington Post noted. Bezos also owns the Post.

NRDC said the funds will be used to “advance climate solutions and legislation at the state level, move the needle on policies and programs focused on reducing oil and gas production, [and] protect and restore ecosystems that store carbon.”