- A Mongabay analysis of the largest-ever private philanthropic campaign for biodiversity conservation has found about a quarter of the pledged $5 billion has already been allocated.
- The Protecting Our Planet (POP) campaign was launched in late 2021 ahead of the COP15 conference in Montreal. The POP group includes foundations representing some of the richest people on Earth.
- Critics of the scheme have called for greater transparency in the use of private funds for protected areas conservation, such as the creation of a charter of principles and commitments, or compliance framework, to mitigate negative impacts.
A Mongabay analysis has found that about a quarter of the $5 billion pledged through the Protecting Our Planet (POP) campaign has already been allocated to land, river and ocean conservation projects around the world.
By searching grant databases, reviewing financial records and cross-checking with data supplied by POP group members, Mongabay was able to verify a total of $1.25 billion in spending. This is in line with the expected timeline of the campaign.
The POP group includes foundations representing some of the richest people on Earth. Publicly championed by Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, the group includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg and Walmart heir Rob Walton. Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, who died on March 24, was also a supporter of the scheme.
Bankrolling biodiversity: How are private philanthropists investing in nature?