Leonardo Di Caprio has rightly said, “Climate change is real, it is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”
Over the last few year, Di Caprio and his foundation have been day and night to:
• Help the United Nations Climate Negotiations,
• Protect Coral reefs and tigers, and
• Spread public awareness regarding climate change.
He conducted a rally bringing 4 lakh people across the streets of Manhattan to address the UN about the dangers of Climate change in 2014. He even managed private tutorials from some of the World’s best researchers.
Vice-president Al Gore at White House in 1998 motivated Di Caprio to enter into climate activism and set up his foundation.
Campaigners working along with him in the foundation share that:
• He keenly indulges in Material-reading,
• Keeps his staff on hand who can brief him on climate science and policy,
• And he even travels to locations that are on the frontline of climate change.
Leonardo Di Caprio even narrated a Climate change film, The 11th Hour, in 2007, to increase awareness and support conservation efforts.
His foundation donated:
• $3m in 2014 – to stop overfishing
• $3m to protect tiger’s in Nepal and funding Sala’s initiatives to create marine reserves in the Pacific.
There are five exciting projects he and his foundation are committed to:
1. $6 million goes towards monitoring Commercial fishing Activity
Global Fishing Watch is a web tool through which we can track the global fishing activity in the ocean to stop overfishing.
This tool would be made available to:
• Consumers,
• Seafood suppliers,
• The media,
• Fishermen and
• Other stakeholders to track the commercial fishing activity.
2. $3.2 million directed towards protecting the Rain Forest from the Palm Oil industry
Indonesia produces the maximum Palm oil and the producers there are burning the forests to clear lands for Palm oil plantations. This has caused a severe increase dangerous carbon emissions each day, resulting in a million respiratory infections. The particular grant would preserve 6.5 million acres of Rainforests.
3. $3.4 million to support indigenous populations as they defend their land against Oil-drilling
Di Caprio’s foundation brings together the Ceibo Alliance – 4 indigenous nations,
• The Cofan,
• Sonya,
• Siona,
• And Waorani
All the four nations along with Di Caprio’s foundation are working as one to protect their resources (land, water and rich culture).
4. $ 1 million in debt relief will be donated in exchange for the ocean and coral reef conservation off the coast of the Seychelles
Rising Ocean temperatures and carbon levels are damaging Coral reefs in the coast of the Seychelles. Di Caprio’s foundation is donating $1 million out the $30 proposed to protect the Marine life and promote conservation.
5. Lastly, $1.5 million will be directed towards the promotion of renewable energy in U.S.
The Leonardo Di Caprio’s Foundation has merged with Solutions Project, a non-profit organisation with a vision of 100% renewable energy in future.
Currently, less than 3% of the entire philanthropists are working towards:
• Conservation,
• Sustainability and
• Animal protection.
