Source: World Wildlife Fund
Washington, DC – The Bezos Earth Fund has awarded World Wildlife Fund (WWF) $100 million to accelerate the most promising solutions that harness the power of nature to provide for communities and stabilize our climate. This grant will help WWF protect and restore mangroves, which store carbon and protect coastal communities from the ravages of climate-accelerated weather events. It also will enable WWF to develop new markets for seaweed as an alternative to fossil fuel-based products and to protect forests and other ecosystems from destruction in some of the most important landscapes in the world.
“By investing in the power of nature-based climate solutions, these projects aim to deliver substantial emissions reductions, conserve nature in areas greater than the state of California and improve the resilience of more than 14 million people around the world,” said WWF-US President and CEO Carter Roberts.
“Our best solutions both lower global emissions and strengthen the climate resilience for people in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Now we have the resources to put those solutions to work across the globe,” Roberts added. “With generous support from the Bezos Earth Fund, and our expected ability to leverage an additional $850 million from other partners, we believe we can bring nearly $1 billion of investments to these efforts.”
Rather than focusing solely on preventing pollution, nature-based solutions to the climate crisis help communities adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts, delivering benefits for people and nature. The portfolio of projects supported by this grant will take place in at least a dozen countries through collaboration with governments, multilaterals, NGOs, and local communities on three key initiatives:
- Protecting and restoring mangroves in Colombia, Fiji, Madagascar, and Mexico.
- Scaling up sustainable seaweed farming in the North Atlantic Rim and developing new markets to accelerate the expansion of the industry.
- Restoring and protecting forests and critical ecosystems through long-term integrated finance and protected area initiatives in the Amazon, Africa, and Central America
About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more and keep up with the latest conservation news by following @WWFNews on Twitter.
