After finding Earth fragile from space, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos commits $1bn for conservation

On realising how fragile the Earth was after looking at it from space, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he is committing $1bn for its conservation. The billionaire is going to invest in such projects around the world.

Last year, the Amazon founder had formed $10bn Bezos Earth Fund. The money made through it will go for conservation of nature in the tropical Andes, Congo Basin and Pacific Ocean.

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It will also be used to protect 30% of the world’s oceans and land by the end of the decade. The billionaire made the announcement during New York Climate Week.

At the launch event on Monday, the Washington Post owner said, “Nature is our life support system and it’s fragile. I was reminded of this just this July when I went into space with Blue Origin. I’d heard that seeing the Earth from space changes one’s point of view of the world. But I was not prepared for just how much that would be true.”

“Living down here, the world and the atmosphere seem vast and they seem stable. But looking back at Earth from there, the atmosphere seems thin and the world finite. Both beautiful, both fragile,” said Bezos.

The grants will be distributed this year. It will prioritise regions and countries with a standing commitment of protecting nature.

The money would help in expanding, managing and monitoring protected areas while also putting indigenous and local communities at the heart of efforts to protect biodiversity, Bezos said.

(With inputs from agencies)