Amazon's US$15m for APAC Nature-Based Projects
Amazon is investing US$15 million in nature-based solutions in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to help protect the environment and support local communities.
This substantial allocation is sourced from Amazon's pioneering US$100 million Right Now Climate Fund, initiated in 2019 to bolster projects centred on nature preservation, ecological restoration, climate resilience, and the delivery of substantial social and environmental advantages to the local communities where Amazon operates.
Kara Hurst, Amazon's Global VP for Sustainability, articulated the significance of this endeavour, stating, "The Asia-Pacific region is endowed with expansive forests and diverse coastal ecosystems, yet it confronts formidable challenges from climate change, biodiversity erosion, and land degradation. To safeguard this region from climate-related impacts and safeguard its biodiversity, we are committed to investing in both large-scale and grassroots initiatives."
The initial tranche of US$3 million from this fund's APAC allocation will be channelled towards nature-based projects in India. Amazon's inaugural project in this context will entail a partnership with the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) to champion local communities and conservation efforts within the Western Ghats—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts over 30% of India's wildlife species, including the world's largest populations of wild Asiatic elephants and tigers.
Amazon's financial backing of US$1 million will catalyse the creation of the "Wild Carbon" programme, which aims to empower 10,000 farmers in planting and nurturing a million fruit-bearing, timber, and medicinal trees.
This generous contribution from Amazon will enable CWS to collaborate with 2,000 family farms and oversee the planting of 300,000 trees over three years.
These trees will serve to expand habitats for wildlife, reduce human-wildlife conflicts through the establishment of natural buffer zones, and offer higher-value tree species for farmers compared to traditional subsistence crops.
The project will also harness cutting-edge technology, including drones and remote sensing, alongside ground-level surveys to monitor and verify programme outcomes, thereby advancing research on the positive impact of farmers on reforestation opportunities.
Dr. Krithi Karanth, Executive Director of CWS, emphasised the holistic approach of the Wild Carbon programme, stating, "We have designed the Wild Carbon programme with an unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation and poverty alleviation through livelihood support. By engaging farmers as integral contributors to the solution, we will facilitate the creation of buffer habitats for tigers, elephants, and other endangered species. Amazon's support empowers us to build a programme that is self-sustaining in the long run, offering upfront assistance to farmers in selecting tree varieties that benefit both their livelihoods and wildlife."
The selection of projects is based on their potential to positively impact local communities, improve livelihoods, and deliver tangible environmental benefits. Amazon anticipates announcing further investments in projects across India and other APAC nations in the coming months.
This allocation within India and the wider APAC region aligns seamlessly with Amazon's overarching sustainability and decarbonisation efforts. In 2019, Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge, pledging to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a full decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. This global initiative now boasts over 400 signatories spanning 55 industries and 38 countries, collaborating on endeavours aimed at preserving the natural environment and advancing decarbonisation technologies. Notably, nine Indian companies have joined The Climate Pledge.
In 2022, Amazon took significant strides in India, launching six utility-scale projects, three wind-solar hybrid installations in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, and three solar farms in Rajasthan, boasting a collective renewable energy capacity of 920 megawatts. Furthermore, Amazon India has committed to deploying 10,000 electric vehicles in its delivery fleet by 2025, reflecting its determined progress towards sustainability goals.
Amazon's support extends to various nature conservation programmes throughout the APAC region and beyond.
For instance, in 2022, Amazon, in collaboration with Conservation International, established the International Blue Carbon Institute in Singapore, dedicated to mitigating climate change and safeguarding coastal communities by supporting the restoration and protection of coastal and marine carbon ecosystems, often referred to as "blue carbon" ecosystems.
In Europe, the Right Now Climate Fund allocated €20 million to nurture nature-based projects, including wildlife restoration in France, reforestation in Italy, urban greening in Germany, rewilding and tree planting initiatives in the UK, and the groundbreaking world's first commercial-scale seaweed farm situated amidst offshore wind turbines off the Dutch coast.
Additionally, Amazon's contributions encompass forest preservation and restoration in the Appalachian Mountains, the Agroforestry and Restoration Accelerator programme in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, and active participation as a founding member of the LEAF Coalition—a global public-private alliance striving to mobilise over US$1 billion for the safeguarding of tropical rainforests worldwide.
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Source: Amazon
