On Monday, the Bezos Earth Fund, the Amazon founder’s $10 billion “earthshot” philanthropy, announced a round of 44 grants totaling $443 million to initiatives tackling climate issues and nature conservation.
Of this amount, $261 million has been put toward the “30×30” framework, a $1 billion pledge from the Bezos Earth Fund during the 2021 UN General Assembly to support the protection of 30 percent of the planet’s land and sea by 2030 by targeting investment into regions critical for biodiversity, home to large carbon stocks, and where governments have demonstrated commitment. Specifically, initial funds will be directed toward the Congo Basin, site of 70 percent of Africa’s forests, and the Tropical Andes, home to more than 12 percent of all global species and some 200 gigatons of carbon in its forests and other ecosystems.
“The goal of the Bezos Earth Fund is to support change agents who are seizing the challenges that this decisive decade presents,” the Fund’s President and CEO, Andrew Steer, said in a comment on the awards. “Through these grants, we are advancing climate justice and the protection of nature, two areas that demand stronger action.”
Another $130 million has been granted to 19 organizations supporting climate justice work in the U.S. under the Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative, which will invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable housing, workforce development, and similar initiatives in historically underserved and disadvantaged communities.
“Disadvantaged communities have borne the brunt of environmental damage for too long and are key players in driving the necessary solutions,” said Lauren Sánchez, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. “With each grant we make, we are supporting leading institutions working with communities to advance climate justice efforts.”
A separate $51 million has been earmarked to support the restoration of degraded landscapes in the U.S. and Africa, reversing biodiversity loss, enhancing water access and quality, building ecosystem resilience, supporting job creation, and reviving rural communities. In the U.S., these efforts will be directed at 20 sites nationwide, while in Africa, designated funds will support non-profits and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) focused on land restoration.
“Deforestation exposes people in Africa and around the world to increased risk of flooding, landslides, water shortages, extreme heat, and coastal erosion. The city of Freetown, through our #FreetownTheTreeTown campaign, is planting and growing 1 million trees to address these challenges whilst creating green jobs, enhancing local air quality, and growing the global carbon sink,” said Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone. “I applaud the Bezos Earth Fund for this huge stride in closing the restoration finance gap, particularly for Global South cities like mine.”
A further two grants totaling $1.5 million will support tracking critical transformations required to meet climate and nature goals. Grantees will support the tracking of sectoral transitions related to energy, buildings, industry, transport, and transformations related to protecting biodiversity.
