Leonardo-backed charity pledges the amount to help combat the ravaging fires
Los Angeles: Hollywood star and the co-founder of Earth Alliance, an environmental group, Leonardo DiCaprio, has announced that it will donate $5m towards emergency Amazon Forest Fund. Amid global outcry over fires in the Brazilian Amazon, the initial monetary commitment will help focus critical resources on the key protections needed to maintain the ‘lungs of the planet’. In an Instagram post, Leonardo shared the news encouraging his 34 million followers to donate to the fund, with Earth Alliance promising that 100% of the money raised will go directly to forest preservation efforts. According to Earth Alliance’s website, the funds will be donated to five local organisations: Instituto Associacao Floresta Protegida (Kayapo), Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), Instituto Kabu (Kayapo), Instituto Raoni (Kayapo) and Instituto Socioambiental (ISA). The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) merged with Earth Alliance last month to “help address the urgent threats to our planet’s life support systems.”