Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos pledges £1.47bn for land restoration in Africa
He announced the funding plans during a Cop26 event in Glasgow.
Last updated 11th Nov 2021
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has pledged two billion dollars (£1.47 billion) for land restoration in Africa at a Cop26 event in Glasgow.
The billionaire announced the funding, paid as part of the Bezos Earth Fund, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as he said his flight to space in July had made him realise how fragile the planet was.
Mr Bezos had previously indicated the investment would be one billion dollars (£732 million) at an event with the Prince of Wales on Monday.
Speaking at an event on protecting and restoring forests and land, Mr Bezos said: "We must conserve what we still have, we must restore what we've lost and we must grow what we need to live without degrading the planet for future generations to come.
"Two-thirds of the land in Africa is degraded, but this can be reversed.
"Restoration can improve soil fertility, raise yields and improve food security, make water more reliable, create jobs and boost economic growth, while also sequestering carbon."
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His contribution is part of £5.3 billion in private investment and public funding worth £8.75 billion backing a declaration by 110 nations - covering 85% of the world's forests - to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030.
Mr Bezos told the summit in Glasgow that his flight to space in July had changed his view of the world.
He said: "I was told that seeing the Earth from space changes the lens from which you view the world.
"But I was not prepared for just how much that would be true.
"Looking back at Earth from up there, the atmosphere seems so thin, the world so finite and so fragile.
"Now, in this critical year and what we all know is the decisive decade, we must all stand together to protect our world."
The space race among entrepreneurs has raised concerns over pollution impacts and criticism for spending money on trips off the planet instead of solving problems on Earth.
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World leaders at Cop26
Angela Merkel arrives at Cop26
Other prominent climate activists and leaders were taking part in negotiations. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met young climate campaigners Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate and called on leaders to "put their egos aside" to work on the common issue of solving the climate crisis.
Boris Johnson waits to greet leaders at Cop26
Boris Johnson at the Cop26 Action and Solidarity session
Prince Charles and Joe Biden at Cop26
French president Emmanuel Macron at Cop26
Nicola Sturgeon at the Cop26 World Leaders Summit
Boris Johnson at Cop26