Leonardo DiCaprio puts millions toward nature conservation

Leonardo DiCaprio’s philanthropic foundation has put another $15 million toward environmental causes.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award Ceremony in Davos, Switzerland where he was honored for his climate change advocacy, the actor announced new commitments to advance clean energy, the rights of indigenous people, and efforts to conserve oceans and forests.

“Generosity is the key to our future,” DiCaprio said. “Currently, less than three percent of all philanthropic giving goes to defending our planet.”

“So much can be done if we work together. With your help, we can quickly identify and fund the most innovative and effective projects that have the greatest potential to avert the crisis we face. As I look across the room, I am optimistic that our ability to convene the most significant and influential minds on the planet can result in the global transition necessary to protect both our society and our natural world.”

The biggest chunk of funding — $6 million — went to Oceana and Skytruth for Global Fishing Watch, a platform that uses satellite data to monitor fishing activities. Another $3.4 million was given to Clearwater and the Ceibo Alliance to combat oil extraction on indigenous and community lands in South America, while $3.2 million was awarded to Rainforest Action Network and Haka to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, one of Sumatra’s last intact rainforests.

The balance of the money was granted to the Solutions Project to promote community-level clean energy projects in the United States and The Nature Conservancy for a debt-for-nature swap in the Seychelles.

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has given out more than $40 million since its inception in 1998. The foundation has mostly targeted environmental causes.