DiCaprio Foundation announces $20 mn environmnental grants

The new grants, ranging from wildlife and habit conservation and combating climate change to the defence of indigenous rights, increase the organisation's total direct financial impact to over $80 mn

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has announced that his Foundation will give $20 million in grants to more than 100 environmentally focused organisations.

The new grants, ranging from wildlife and habit conservation and combating climate change to the defence of indigenous rights, increase the organisation's total direct financial impact to over $80 million since 1998, reports variety.com.

"These facts have been presented to the world time-and-time again for decades. Quite simply, we are knowingly doing this to ourselves, to our planet and to our future, and the cost of our inaction is becoming clearer," DiCaprio said during a Yale Climate Conference hosted by John Kerry on Tuesday.

"Yet with all of this evidence - the independent scientific warnings, and the mounting economic price tag - there is still an astounding level of wilful ignorance and inaction from the people who should be doing the most to protect us, and every other living thing on this planet."

DiCaprio encouraged everyone to vote in midterm elections for political candidates who believe that climate change is real and to support companies that provide climate-friendly products.

The Oscar winning actor also called for a global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

"Our challenge is to find new ways to power our lives, employ millions of people and turn every individual into an advocate for clean air and drinkable water. We must demand that politicians accept climate science and make bold commitments before it is too late."

The grants were announced in six areas, including climate change, wildlife and landscape conservation, marine life and ocean conservation, innovative solutions, indigenous rights, and the California programme.