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In his speech at the DealBook Summit organised by the New York Times, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said that most indicators in the world have improved significantly over the past 50 years. At the same time, the environmental situation on the planet remains critical.
“When people talk about the ‘good old days’, it’s an illusion. Almost everything is better today than it used to be… except for the natural world. The oceans, rivers and forests have become victims of pollution and depletion to ensure human progress,” Bezos said.
Amazon and the challenge of sustainable development
Amazon, one of the largest companies in the world, has also contributed to the environmental degradation. In 2022, the company emitted 70.74 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, which is significantly higher than its competitor Walmart’s figures for the same period, CNBC reports.
However, Amazon is gradually reducing its emissions and aims to achieve a zero carbon footprint by 2040. This is stated in the company’s 2023 sustainability report.
Billions to save the planet
Bezos is actively investing in solving the problem of natural resource depletion. His space company Blue Origin has been working for two decades to develop rockets, spaceships and stations that could be key to space exploration and reduce humanity’s dependence on Earth’s resources.
Global mission
Jeff Bezos emphasises that addressing environmental challenges should be a priority:
“We cannot continue to consume the planet’s resources as if they were infinite. Progress must take into account the future of our ecosystem.”
Its initiatives in the field of ecology and space exploration are already laying the groundwork for global sustainable development.
