Another option is to consider making new EA-guided nonprofits in either climate change or other Bezos cause areas. It might be easier to funding in these areas now, so a 40% difference in efficiency could be scaled a lot.
Climate philanthropy by foundations was at roughly $2b last year and is poised to increase significantly, probably almost doubling this year, with large new pledges (such as Bezos’ Earth Fund) coming into effect.
It gives breakdowns by regions and sectors based on Climate Works’ 2021 funding trends and adding on top in-house estimates of Bezos’ commitments.
In recent years, foundation funding for climate change mitigation has more than tripled, growing from $900 million in 2015 to more than $3 billion in 2021 (Figure 3). Between 2020 and 2021 alone, it increased by more than 40%, driven in part by the arrival of major new donors such as the Bezos Earth Fund
One takeaway for EA might be to reduce the proportion of EA funds going towards climate change, although I suspect this is fairly low already.
Otherwise, is this a particularly good time for EA leaders to try to engage with Bezos and give him ideas for high-impact giving opportunities?
Another option is to consider making new EA-guided nonprofits in either climate change or other Bezos cause areas. It might be easier to funding in these areas now, so a 40% difference in efficiency could be scaled a lot.
In case it’s useful, Founders Pledge wrote a report last year [November, 2021] that in large part is focused on the implications of Bezos’ climate spending (Navigating the changing landscape of climate philanthropy):
It gives breakdowns by regions and sectors based on Climate Works’ 2021 funding trends and adding on top in-house estimates of Bezos’ commitments.
Climate Works has also recently published its update on 2022 funding trends [October, 2022]. Key takeaway:
Obviously the shadow of the FTX thing, fairly or unfairly, makes the timing difficult in some ways. (Or maybe that’s what you were hinting at)