The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, founded in 1998, is dedicated to the wellbeing of Earth’s inhabitants and supports projects that protect vulnerable wildlife from extinction, while restoring threatened ecosystems and communities and on the more pervasive threat of climate change.
In July the Foundation hosted its third annual fundraising gala in St. Tropez, France and raised over $45 million. Governor Schwarzenegger joined DiCaprio for the event and auctioned off a few rare pieces of movie memorabilia to benefit the Regions of Climate Action (R20), a non-profit organization created by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2010 with the support of the United Nations.
The DiCaprio Foundation recently appointed Terry Tamminen CEO of the organization. Terry is a Schwarzenegger Institute Advisory Board member who served as California EPA Secretary under Governor Schwarzenegger. Following Terry’s appointment the DiCaprio Foundation announced a $650,000 grant to the Regions of Climate Action (R20). Tamminen helped launch the R20 and continues to advise the organization whose mission is to help sub-national governments to implement low-carbon projects and build a green economy.
The DiCaprio Foundation grant will help the R20 fund energy and infrastructure initiatives.