Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos team up to raise $200m to protect Amazon rainforest

By David Mouriquand  •  Updated: 05/07/2023 - 07:31

The Oscar-winning actor and the Amazon founder want to support the Brazilian government's efforts to protect the flora and fauna and safeguard indigenous peoples.

Leonardo DiCaprio is no stranger to environmental activism and has used his influence to raise awareness for various environmental causes, including donating large sums to help tackle climate change.

Jeff Bezos is no stranger to... Well, Amazon.

More seriously, the founder of Amazon is one of the world’s billionaires who has previously donated sums to fight climate change globally, including his work though his Bezos Earth Fund, an initiative launched with his fiancée Lauren Sánchez to help combat climate change.

The two are now teaming up to launch a $200 million (approx. €183.4 million) fund to protect the Amazon rainforest with the Protecting Our Planet (POP) Challenge.

The actor’s non-profit organization Re:Wild conservation and Nature Solutions from the Bezos Earth Fund, are working together with Brazil’s Minister of the Environment to protect vulnerable areas and indigenous territories of the country, with the goal of achieving zero deforestation, including 145 million acres of the rainforest, helping Brazil to transition into a green economy and protect the rights of Indigenous people and their lands. 

17% of the Amazon rainforest has already disappeared, and scientists fear catastrophic consequences if this figure rises to 20-25%, according to the press release.

“We are inspired by Brazil’s ambitious goals for protecting the Amazon, one of the most important places for wildlife on the planet, and are thrilled to be able to support these efforts through the Protecting Our Planet Challenge,” DiCaprio said in a statement.

The managing director and leader of Nature Solutions from the Bezos Earth Fund, Cristián Samper, explained that the “Amazon is critical for the future of global biodiversity and climate, and we welcome the commitment from President Lula and the Government of Brazil to protect it.”

“We are pleased to support the designation and management of protected areas and Indigenous territories as a key part of the strategy to reduce deforestation, along with new economic models of development based on the conservation and sustainable use of the forest,” he added.

According to Forbes, Jeff Bezos’ net worth is estimated to be $153 billion, and as of January 2023, Leonardo DiCaprio’s net worth was estimated to be $300 million.

Additional sources • Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth

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