JAKARTA - We cannot avoid climate change. It is getting more and more alarming. Seeing that, the richest person in the world Jeff Bezos poured out 10 billion United States dollars (US) or the equivalent of Rp137 trillion to fight climate change today.
Later, the funds given by the Amazon boss will be donated to fund scientists, activists, organizations and other groups fighting to protect the environment and fight the effects of climate change.
This news of course surprises everyone, because cutting emissions will be a challenge for Amazon. The e-commerce company sends out 10 billion factory waste a year, has a large transportation and data center footprint. Bezos has also faced criticism from his own employees.
Bezos is among the list of billionaires who have dedicated huge funds to fighting the effects of global warming. The Bezos Earth Fund will begin disbursing the fund this summer.
"Climate change is the greatest threat to our planet. I would like to work with others to strengthen known ways and to explore new ways to combat the devastating effects of climate change on the planet we all live in," Bezos wrote in an Instagram post. as quoted by the BBC, Wednesday 19 February.
"It will take collective action from large companies, small companies, nation states, global organizations and individuals," continued Bezos.
Tackling climate change has become a popular trend for billionaires in the US in recent years. The figures who play a role, namely Microsoft's father Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer are among the richest environmental philanthropists in the world.
However, Bezos has also drawn criticism for not signing the Giving Pledge, which is the promise of people who have excess wealth to give half of their wealth during their lifetime to help change the world such as this question of climate.
Last year, Bezos promised to keep online retailer Amazon off carbon dioxide by 2040. Amazon was the first major company to announce such a goal. Not only that, Bezos will also buy 100,000 electric vehicles from manufacturing startup Rivian Automotive LLC to deliver packages from his shop.
Bezos also said at the time that the Amazon would meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement 10 years ahead of schedule and invest US $ 100 million to restore forests and wetlands.
In fact, Amazon has faced protests from environmental activists and pressure from its employees to take action on climate change. They are among hundreds of employees of major technology companies who joined climate change marches in San Francisco and Seattle late last year.
Amazon employees think Jeff Bezos is too slow to tackle global warming and needs to take more action. Seeing the Bezos Earth Fund, the employees welcomed it well. But that doesn't make up for the company's fossil fuel consumption and other activities that contribute to climate change.
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