By Simon Jessop
LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) – The world’s biggest climate philanthropy has given $24.5 million to protect coastal ecosystems as part of a plan to create the planet’s first cross-border marine biosphere reserve, its head of nature told Reuters.
The four grants from the Bezos Earth Fund are intended to help local communities and organisations protect key marine areas in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador.
The grants form part of a plan to give $1 billion towards the world’s goal of protecting 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030. As part of the ‘Protecting Our Planet Challenge’ with 10 other philanthropies, the group of donors is aiming to provide $5 billion over the same period.
To date, the Bezos Earth Fund has deployed nearly $700 million — and the broader coalition more than $3 billion — of the total $5 billion.
The biggest of the newly announced grants – $13.85 million – would go to an organisation called Re:wild to help partners create and strengthen coastal reserves and nursery zones for hammerhead sharks, turtles and other marine life.
