UK Prime Minister told Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, to pay his fair share of taxes to the country after he heard about Bezos' commitment of $1 billion to global conversation efforts through his Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos announced at an event in New York Monday that the funds will be used towards conservation and protection projects in Africa, South American, and Asia.
Boris raised the issue of Amazon's taxes in the UK during his meeting with the world's richest man in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Boris said Bezos declined to respond to his request, stating that it was not his job to determine how much taxes his company has to pay.
After bringing up the tax issue, Boris went on to praise Bezos for his commitment to protecting the world's natural resources and addressing the climate crisis.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has committed $1 billion to global conversation efforts through his Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos announced at an event in New York Monday that the funds will be used towards conservation and protection projects in Africa, South American, and Asia.
The $1 billion donation is part of Bezos' largest philanthropic foundation, the Bezos Earth Fund, which was set up to help fight climate change. Bezos previously said that the fund will be giving away $10 billion through 2030.
According to the Bezos Earth Fund, the $1 billion Bezos had committed will be used to "create, expand, manage, and monitor" protected and conserved areas such as forests, lakes, mangroves, and marine ecosystems.
The initiative will partly support the global 30x30 strategy, which aims to safeguard at least 30% of the Earth's land and sea resources through 2030. The strategy, led by the UK, France, and Costa Rica, aims to protect the planet's biodiversity by saving plant and animal species from extinction.
The 30x30 plan includes projects aimed at keeping natural areas such as wetlands and forests intact. Apart from protecting endangered animals and plant species, the conservation of these areas also helps in filtering water and storing carbon.
Most of the conserved areas are located in less developed nations and as a result, some have been exploited by local businesses and governments for profit.
The fund said that the new $1 billion grant will be given mostly to conservation organizations that are run by "local communities and Indigenous peoples." Bezos said the $1 billion commitment is part of his "three-part nature strategy," which will also include commitments to landscape restoration and food system transformation efforts.
When Bezos first announced his fund, his intentions were met with significant skepticism. Critics claimed that the fund was nothing more than Bezos' way of giving away money as opposed to a genuine concern for the environment.
Over the past few years, the fund has gained traction, making significant donations to mainstream environmental and conservation organizations for their respective projects. In March, Bezos hired former World Resources Institute head as his fund's president and chief executive. Earlier in the month, Bezos' fund donated $20 million to four major organizations tackling climate justice.
