On November 16, 2020, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) announced that it will receive a $100 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, primarily for ecosystem restoration and regenerative agriculture work that helps restore our climate or boost resilience to the climate crisis.
The Bezos Earth Fund grant will be used to help NRDC advance climate solutions and legislation at the state level, move the needle on policies and programs focused on reducing oil and gas production, protect and restore ecosystems that store carbon (like forests and wetlands), and accelerate sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices.
Funding will also expand and support NRDC’s network of local, regional and national partners that are working on the ground throughout the U.S. to strengthen equity and justice at the heart of climate advocacy. Additionally, a portion of the grant will go directly to the NRDC Action Fund to support its work to build the political will for climate policies.
This expansion of climate philanthropy builds on the increasing momentum for inclusive and resilient climate action happening all across the country, including U.S. president-elect Joe Biden and U.S. vice president-elect Kamala Harris’ pledge to implement the most ambitious climate plan proposed by any administration in U.S. history.
“This generous gift from the Bezos Earth Fund enables NRDC to move even faster on achieving the climate solutions we need at the federal, state and local levels to protect people’s health, strengthen nature’s ability to help fight climate change and grow the clean energy sector and all the jobs that come with it,” said Gina McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of NRDC.
“With new resources and growing political will, NRDC, alongside partners across the country, will advance equitable climate solutions and build a brighter future for us all,” she added.
The gift is among an inaugural set of grants made by the $10 billion Bezos Earth Fund. Other organizations receiving gifts in the inaugural round of $791 million in donations include: The Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, ClimateWorks Foundation, Dream Corps Green For All, Eden Reforestation Projects, Energy Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, The Hive Fund for Climate and Gender Justice, The Nature Conservancy, NDN Collective, Rocky Mountain Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, The Solutions Project, Union of Concerned Scientists, World Resources Institute, and World Wildlife Fund.
Photo of toxic, acid-filled old mine by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay.