Bezos Earth Fund awards $34.5 million for climate change initiatives
The Bezos Earth Fund has announced $34.5 million in grants to improve greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and disclosure efforts and advance food systems transformation in developing countries—part of the fund’s $10 billion commitment to climate action announced in 2020.
Funding for accounting and disclosure efforts includes $9.9 million to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) to update its disclosure framework and systems to improve usability and support efforts to ensure that climate data is publicly available, and $9.25 million to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol—in partnership with World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development—to update standards, develop new guidance, and provide technical services to companies with the goal of improving the GHG data and reporting that are essential for a low-carbon transition.
“The global demand for [GHG] accounting and disclosure is skyrocketing and must be scaled and modernized to deliver needed standards, tools, and training,” said Bezos Earth Fund president Andrew Steer. “Trust in these systems is paramount, and this investment…will help enable companies to take urgent climate action.”
Funding for sustainable agriculture includes $9.9 million to Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to support development of low-cost virtual livestock fencing to discourage animals from leaving grazing areas, promote land conservation, and reduce deforestation in developing countries, and $5.5 million to the Good Food Institute to accelerate the research and development of alternative sources of food proteins like plant-based and cultivated meat to address growing demand while reducing environmental impact, creating sustainable livelihoods for farmers and food system workers, and increasing resilience across the global food system.
“We must find new ways to feed and nourish a growing population without degrading our planet, and we can do it if we think boldly and act innovatively,” said Bezos Earth Fund vice chair Lauren Sánchez. “With these new partnerships and our $1 billion commitment to food transformation, we can rethink the food system and drastically reduce its footprint on our planet.”
(Photo credit: Getty Images/Aamulya)