E-commerce titan Amazon has unveiled an initial investment of $3 million to support nature-based projects throughout India, according to reports from the PTI news agency.
This financial commitment is part of Amazon's broader $15 million fund allocated for nature-focused initiatives within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
Amazon has earmarked the first $3 million from this APAC fund allocation to aid nature-based endeavors in India. For its inaugural project, the company will collaborate with the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) to provide assistance to communities and conservation initiatives in the Western Ghats region. The Western Ghats is a crucial ecological area, home to over 30% of India's wildlife species, including the world's most extensive population of wild Asiatic elephants and tigers, as per the company's statement.
As part of this initiative, Amazon will allocate $1 million to support CWS in the launch of the "Wild Carbon" program. This program has the objective of aiding 10,000 farmers in the cultivation and nurturing of one million fruit-bearing, timber, and medicinal trees.
Kara Hurst, Amazon's Global VP for Sustainability, emphasized the critical importance of safeguarding the Asia-Pacific region from the repercussions of climate change, biodiversity decline, and land degradation. She reiterated Amazon's dedication to investing in both large-scale and localized endeavors to accomplish these objectives.
“To protect the region from the impacts of climate change and preserve biodiversity, we will need both large-scale and local action – and we are committed to investing in both," Hurst stated.
The $15 million allocation for nature-oriented projects is drawn from Amazon's $100 million Right Now Climate Fund, which was established in 2019. This fund is specifically designed to support initiatives that bolster climate resilience, champion biodiversity, and deliver social and environmental advantages in communities where Amazon operates.
Krithi Karanth, Executive Director of CWS, highlighted that Amazon's support facilitates the establishment of a self-sustaining program. Farmers will receive upfront support to select tree varieties that are beneficial to their livelihoods and the local wildlife. They will also receive technical guidance, agroforestry training, and assistance in replacing failed saplings.
Amazon has demonstrated a consistent commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action. The company was a co-founder of The Climate Pledge in 2019, committing to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a full decade ahead of the target set by the Paris Agreement. This pledge has since garnered over 400 signatories spanning various industries and countries, including nine Indian companies.
In 2022, Amazon launched six utility-scale projects in India, a significant stride towards its objective of powering its global operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025, five years earlier than its initial target of 2030. These projects encompass wind-solar hybrid and solar farms, with a collective renewable energy capacity of 920 megawatts.
Amazon India has also pledged to deploy 10,000 electric vehicles in its delivery fleet by 2025, further underscoring its commitment to sustainability initiatives.
