Jeff Bezos' $10 billion charity fund has stopped supporting the world's leading voluntary climate standard-setting after it reviewed its impact on corpses, a move seen as billionaire vs. the United States President Donald Trump's latest effort.
According to three people familiar with the decision, the Bezos Earth Fund ended its support for the science-based goal initiative, a globally renowned institution that provides access to how companies like Apple and H&M are available. The influence of the "net zero" label.
The move comes after SBTI staffers were concerned about the impact of the Bezos fund last year, after which the Financial Times reported that the fund and former U.S. climate envoy John Kerry supported the organization and its advisers, both fund and advisers, supported by the group, as well as former U.S. climate envoy John Kerry Allows widespread use of the organization's company's disputed carbon credits.
The Bezos Fund previously told FT that it did not make a "decision" with SBTI and was not involved in its position on offsets.
Two people familiar with the funding relationship say they believe the shift to suspend SBTI funds after December 2024 comes down to Bezos not wanting to annoy Trump, who has previously described climate change as a scam.
Bezos joins other big tech bosses like Meta's Mark Zuckerberg to rush to connect with the Trump administration as their companies seek to ease antitrust, deals and labor The pressure of intelligence.
“Once upon a time, a tech billionaire created foundations regularly and many were interested in climate,” one person said. “I can’t imagine anyone who lost anything would consider doing anything about climate change in the United States three times. "
People familiar with the relationship say global climate standard setters also chose the Bezos Foundation's perceived impact separately. SBTI "has been working to diversify their funds. . . They are considering other sources." said a third person familiar with the funding relationship.
The Bezos Foundation says it remains committed to its work and mission. "Our donors will not interfere in the process of setting standards and will not seek," SBTI said.
In recent years, climate nonprofits have increasingly relied on grants from technology billionaires. The Bezos Fund was founded by Amazon’s founder five years ago to help “scientists, activists, NGOs” find solutions to climate and nature problems. It has been one of SBTI's largest funders, and it extended it by $18 million in 2021.
"Obviously, Jeff Bezos and tech companies have changed 8 years ago. . They were even more opposed at the time and are now trying to work closely with (Trump's current) administration." Another person explain.
Andrew Steer, president of Bezos Fund, said Saturday that the break was to resign from the head of the body after nearly four years. Steer said Bezos and his partner Lauren Sánchez are "a consistent source of thought, insight and support."
Steer said last month that the podcast on the energy transition, the fund has paid $2.5 billion to date, in part to help specialized climate institutions. He said: “In some mainstream environmental organizations that oppose capitalism, there is still a considerable legacy, including opposing carbon markets as climate solutions.
SBTI CEO Luiz Amaral left last year after disagreeing within the organization’s organization’s buzz around carbon credit issues. EY's partner David Kennedy will replace him in the second quarter of this year. People close to SBTI said Kennedy will assess the size of the organization and will receive funding later.
Since its inception, the Bezos Foundation has become one of the most prolific supporters of the climate group, including the World Resources Institute, which Steer once operated.
The Bezos Fund and companies including Amazon, Meta and Google have previously funded voluntary carbon accounting oversight agencies jointly managed by WRI.
WRI said it will continue to interact with the Bezos fund "with the same business situation." Those close to WRI said it is evaluating the wider impact on climate philanthropy that freezes U.S. foreign aid. "The world is upside down. . We are trying to understand it."