Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos grant hefty fund to protect Amazon

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos have recently granted a large amount of donation to protect the Amazon rainforest.

According to Variety, the two non-profit organisations, DiCaprio’s Re:Wild conservation and Bezos's Nature Solutions, have donated $200 million into the Protect Our Planet (POP) Challenge.

The outlet reported that this donation will “support the expansion and management of Brazil's protected areas and Indigenous territories”.

In a statement issued by Titanic star on June 30, DiCaprio said, “We are inspired by Brazil's ambitious goals for protecting the Amazon, one of the most important places for wildlife on the planet.”

“Also, thrilled to be able to support these efforts through the Protecting Our Planet Challenge,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cristián Samper, managing director and leader of Nature Solutions of the Bezos Earth Fund, explained, “The Amazon is critical for the future of global biodiversity and climate, and we welcome the commitment from President Lula and the Government of Brazil to protect it.”

“We are pleased to support the designation and management of protected areas and Indigenous territories as a key part of the strategy to reduce deforestation, along with new economic models of development based on the conservation and sustainable use of the forest,” stated Samper.

It is pertinent to mention that the donation will be used over the next four years to help Brazil achieve zero deforestation in the Amazon as well as fight both deforestation in protected Indigenous lands and cutting down forests for cattle.