Riccardo Liguori The suspension of the Bezos Earth Fund to SBTi, the main body for verifying corporate climate objectives, raises fears about the green commitment of big tech. Between political pressure and the need for funds, there is a fear of a slowdown in decarbonisation at a crucial moment for the environment
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The fight against climate change comes to a head as the Bezos Earth Fund—Jeff Bezos‘s $10 billion philanthropic organization—suspends funding for the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Despite expectations of a routine renewal, concerns are being raised about the unknown reasons behind the decision.
SBTi was set up to verify and monitor whether businesses worldwide are indeed reducing their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, providing credible recognition for decarbonization plans. SBTi has been funded for years by largely two big financial partners: the Bezos Earth Fund and the Ikea Foundation. Their support has been instrumental for the initiative’s growth.
It is a consequence of the expiration of a three-year, $18 million grant, said individuals with knowledge of the matter. However, the Financial Times reports that insiders and environmentalists suggest the action could be linked to political pressures in the United States, where the Trump administration has been very critical of climate change, even calling it a “hoax.”
The United States’ political environment
Policies under the current administration have already caused numerous businesses, some of the largest financial institutions included, to backtrack or cancel their net-zero pledges for fear of political and regulatory backlash. At the same time, mentions of the climate crisis have been partly eliminated or deleted from the websites of the federal government, and some environmental research studies are threatened with reductions or cancellation.
Amidst this climate of uncertainty, the Bezos Earth Fund’s decision not to renew (at least temporarily) its grant to SBTi fits within a broader trend of “precautionary” measures. Experts think that Jeff Bezos and other Silicon Valley moguls are probably “toning down” their green agendas in order to avoid fights with the Trump administration and remain in the good books of the White House—particularly on issues such as antitrust, trade policies, and artificial intelligence.
Climate experts’ alarm
Experts are concerned that this funding freeze can decelerate the development of new environmental standards and weaken global climate action. Scientists at SBTi are not just concerned about losing the money, but also about the precedent that such a move would set: that other big donors will follow suit and “freeze” donations to climate programs.
Others also draw a connection to the Bezos Earth Fund’s stance on carbon credits. SBTi indicated last year that it would be more open to offsets in the trajectory of netting indirect emissions. The move, reviled internally and by observers as a concession to greenwashing practices, may have poisoned relations. Now, in an ironic twist, the Bezos Earth Fund’s withdrawal raises questions about whether, beyond these disagreements, decarbonization remains a priority.
SBTi’s response: seeking new partners for stability
Representatives of SBTi formally dismiss any aggression in Bezos’s move, framing it as the natural conclusion of an agreement on financing. However, they acknowledge the precedence of seeking new partners to ensure stability and autonomy in their operations.
As insiders describe it, the goal is to render the initiative stronger by not permitting any single donor to have excessive influence on its strategies. During a time of growing political polarization on climate pledges, diversifying donors is the sole way to remain impartial and credible.
