Jeff Bezos wants to literally save the world.
On his Instagram page today, the Amazon CEO—not known for his charitable side—said he will commit $10 billion to “fund scientists, activists, NGOs” and others in an expansive, coordinated effort to fight the effects of climate change and protect the environment for future generations.
“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet,” Bezos said in the post. “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.”
Bezos has been criticized in the past for how little he spends on philanthropy in comparison to other billionaires, although he’s upped his game a bit in recent years. His announcement comes, somewhat ironically, at a time when plutocrat philanthropists are attracting greater scrutiny for how they use their massive wealth to influence policy and shape global agendas.
In the Instagram post, Bezos offered few details about how the climate effort would work, but he said the first grants will roll out this summer. He’s calling it the Bezos Earth Fund.
You can check out the full post here.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
