Latest news with #EarthFund
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lauren Sanchez Sparks Outrage For Promoting Climate Change Awareness Weeks After All-Female Spaceflight
Lauren Sanchez has found herself at the center of controversy for delivering a climate change message weeks after participating in a historic trip to space. In an Instagram video, the philanthropist spoke about her fiancé's Earth Fund, which is sponsoring a number of "visionary teams" with grants to support their AI-related, climate change, "game-changing" ideas. However, critics were quick to call the post hypocritical, pointing out that Lauren Sanchez had recently engaged in a number of flights that left a sizable carbon footprint. Ahead of her exclusive night out in Venice, Lauren Sanchez garnered the ire of netizens after being spotted promoting climate change in a prerecorded video shared on Instagram. In the clip, Sanchez talked about the Bezos Earth Fund "tackling climate change" to "create a future where our planet thrives without compromise." She also revealed that the foundation, which was launched in 2020, has selected the first round of grantees for the Bezos Earth Fund's AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge. "Over the next eight weeks, these visionary teams will level up their game-changing ideas, making them ready to change real-world problems head-on," the soon-to-be wife said in the video. Those who emerge victorious after the eight weeks are up will then be handed a mouthwatering prize to pursue their ideas. "And then, up to 15 standout finalists will receive up to $2 million each to bring those bold solutions to life, so stay tuned," Sanchez added. In the post's comment section, a netizen claimed that Sanchez's message was hypocritical, given that she has been flying around in recent weeks. The journalist was one of six famous women who served as crew members on Blue Origin's recent trip to space and subsequently jetted off to Paris for her bachelorette party. She was also recently spotted with her fiancé on his $500 million superyacht, coasting across the sea. "Lol, save the planet, but I'll be on a jet flying all over the world and in space with my friends. Yeah, right, no footprint here," a user commented under Sanchez's post. "Traveling in a super yacht polluting the sea like hell, going to space for fun 11 minutes and polluting more than 1 person in a year..... definitely not an example," a second individual remarked. "Doesn't walk the talk with the jet fuel burning hen parties that could have been on Zoom," a third fellow wrote. "Girl bye. You went to space for a minute polluting the earth with tonsssss of Co2 for your own pleasure," Another annoyed person noted. Interestingly, even more carbon emissions are expected in June from Sanchez and her fiancé, Bezos, when they tie the knot in Venice. They have invited around 200 guests, including top Hollywood celebrities, many of whom will have to fly in from different parts of the world. Bezos' yacht, Koru, will also play a part in the celebration, which will likely add even more to the total carbon footprint. Back in 2023, reports revealed that the luxury superyacht releases about 7,154 tons of greenhouse gases every year, a number that is 447 times more than what an average American produces within the same period. In what appears to be an effort to counterbalance the environmental impact, the billionaire has been paying for carbon offsets. These initiatives support environmental projects that help cut down greenhouse gases in the air Meanwhile, ahead of the nuptials, a source has confirmed that the soon-to-be couple are truly into each other. "They're like two kids in their relationship; they are madly in love and have endless fun with each other," the insider said, per the Daily Mail. "Whether it is watching movies, hanging out on their yacht, having dinners, being with family and friends, it is an endless array of good times. Getting married can't happen soon enough," the source added about the lovebirds. Speaking further about their bond, the insider revealed that Sanchez always hypes her man as "perfect" to her friends. "They genuinely like each other," the insider continued. "They know what they have in life and are enjoying it to the fullest. They are each other's lottery ticket." While it is already known that Bezos and Sanchez would be having their nuptials in Venice, it reportedly won't be at any of the churches in the city. Instead, the couple is said to have picked a theater at an undisclosed location in the city to host the 200 guests they have invited. "The word is that they have booked the theater, which has been restored," a source told The U.S. Sun. "It's not your usual venue for a wedding; it would be iconic." They added, "Everyone is talking about the wedding, and it's going to be a huge celebration." According to the outlet, the venue has already blocked out dates for two weeks in June, including the days around June 24 and 26, when Sanchez and Bezos are expected to get married. It's also said that the place can be reached by water, giving guests a quieter, more private way to arrive.
Mint
29-04-2025
- Business
- Mint
Realty cos spend below 1% of revenue on tech, says Brigade's Nirupa Shankar
In 2016, Brigade Group launched a real estate-focused accelerator called Brigade REAP (Real Estate Accelerator Program). Conceptualised by Nirupa Shankar, Joint Managing Director at Brigade, the goal was to create a platform that connects early-stage start-ups with practical real estate challenges and allows them to pilot technology-driven solutions. Over time, REAP has accelerated adoption of technology in the sector, mentoring over around 80 startups, selected from over 4,000 who applied to the programme. The accelerator offers mentorship, access to leadership guidance, and opportunities to pilot solutions on live projects. According to Shankar, who appeared on Mint's show Brick by Byte anchored by real estate editor Vandana Ramnani, the accelerator was initiated at a time when the Indian real estate sector was not actively investing in technology. 'Most real estate companies spend less than 1% of their top line on technology. That includes hardware, software licenses—everything,' she said. Watch the full episode below, Start-ups working with REAP have addressed a variety of operational and infrastructure-related challenges. These include: Smart water management systems to detect leakages and enable consumption tracking Indoor air quality monitoring and purification using real-time data Sensor-based lighting systems and contactless access for office environments Retail optimisation using behavioural analytics to improve tenant mix and customer experience Sewage treatment systems that operate without chemicals or electricity Approximately 40% of the start-ups that have gone through the REAP program have raised follow-on funding, Shankar noted. To address the needs of later-stage start-ups that have outgrown the accelerator model, Brigade Group established Earth Fund, an investment vertical focused on scalable and sustainable technologies. Unlike REAP, which provides acceleration and mentorship, Earth Fund is positioned as an investment initiative targeting companies that can integrate with Brigade's core operations or contribute to broader smart city and sustainability goals. Shankar said Earth Fund allows the company to participate more meaningfully in the growth of solutions that have already demonstrated product-market fit and operational viability. While several areas of real estate operations have seen increased adoption of technology—particularly in sales, leasing, and customer experience—Shankar observed that the core construction process has not evolved at the same pace. The majority of on-site workflows remain manual, and there is limited automation in the physical building process. She highlighted a gap in innovation targeted specifically at the construction site, despite it employing the majority of the real estate workforce. According to her, tools that improve labor productivity, project speed, and efficiency are critical but still underdeveloped in the Indian context. Shankar also noted the importance of policy support in driving adoption of sustainable building technologies. She pointed to mechanisms such as green credits, concessional financing for certified projects, and incentives for resource efficiency as potential enablers for broader adoption. Shankar is a second-generation executive at Brigade Group and oversees multiple business verticals. She is involved in land acquisition, project feasibility, and operational execution. She emphasised that her role is not limited to a single function and that she participates directly in project negotiations and strategic planning. She also spoke about the internal structure of the company, noting that Brigade is building capabilities not only in real estate development but also in innovation and sustainability through structured programs like REAP and Earth Fund. Outside of her professional responsibilities, Shankar maintains an interest in fitness and endurance sports. She also engages in strategic games such as poker, which she described as helpful in decision-making and situational analysis. First Published: 29 Apr 2025, 08:53 AM IST
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Katy Perry Teases Upcoming Blue Origin All-Women Space Flight Launch
Katy Perry is just three days away from living her hit single, 'E.T.,' in real life, and the star took to Instagram to tease her upcoming space flight. The 'Lifetimes' singer will be on board Jeff Bezos' space exploration company Blue Origin's first all-women flight crew, which will be led by Lauren Sánchez — who is engaged to Bezos and is vice chair of the billionaire's Earth Fund. The NS-31 expedition will mark Blue Origin's 11th human space flight, and will also include passengers CBS Mornings' Gayle King, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen and entrepreneur/film producer Kerianne Flynn. More from Billboard Shaboozey & Myles Smith Eye New Heights With New 'Blink Twice' Single: Stream It Now Adam Levine Recalls Paul McCartney's Reaction to Beatles Cover: ' We Did It Better' NIKI Takes on Chappell Roan's 'Casual' for 'Like a Version' In the brief animated video graphic shared to Perry's Instagram, the expedition's logo comes into frame, against a starry sky. The clip details that the NS-31 mission will launch on Monday (April 14) at 7 a.m. CT. 'T-minus 3 days to launch for NS-31 @blueorigin,' Perry wrote in the caption, linking to the page where those at home can watch the take-off live. See her post here. At the time of the expeditions announcement, Perry wrote on Instagram, 'If you had told me that I would be part of the first ever all-female crew in space, I would have believed you … Nothing was beyond my imagination as a child.' 'Although we didn't grow up with much, I never stopped looking at the world with hopeful WONDER!' continued the former American Idol judge, who shares daughter Daisy with Orlando Bloom. 'I work hard to live my life that way still, and I am motivated more than ever to be an example for my daughter that women should take up space (pun intended). That's why this opportunity is so incredible — so that I can show all of the youngest & most vulnerable among us to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.' After her time in outer space, Perry is kicking off her Lifetimes Tour, in support of her new album 143, in Mexico City on April 23. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
The Guardian
06-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Jeff Bezos fund ends support for climate group amid fears billionaires ‘bowing down' to Trump
Jeff Bezos's $10bn climate and biodiversity fund has halted its funding of one of the world's most important climate certification organisations, amid broader concerns US billionaires are 'bowing down to Trump' and his anti-climate action rhetoric. The Bezos Earth Fund has stopped its support for the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), an international body that assesses if companies are decarbonising in line with the Paris agreement. Earth Fund had been one of two core funders of the SBTi, with the Ikea Foundation: the two accounted for 61% of its total funding last year. Earth Fund's decision was first reported by the FT. Spokespeople for Earth Fund and SBTi said the $18m (£14.5m) grant had been a three-year commitment that expired as previously agreed, and Earth Fund had not made a final decision on future support. But researchers familiar with the SBTi, as well as advisers at the organisation, raised concerns that the vanishing support was part of a broader trend of wealthy individuals moving away from funding causes that the US president – who has previously called climate change a hoax – did not agree with. Prof Doreen Stabinsky, who is on the technical council of SBTi, said: 'You look at Bezos and the folks he's hanging out with in the billionaires club, and you realise this is about more than SBTi,' she said. 'Bezos is bowing down to Trump in a way a bunch of billionaires are bowing down to Trump.' Stabinsky said Bezos's decision was 'not surprising at all' given he previously stopped the editorial board of the Washington Post – which he owns – taking an endorsement position on presidential candidates. It came as scientists described their 'stress and fear' at Donald Trump's executive orders to cut federal grant money. Mentions of the climate crisis have also been removed or downgraded across US government websites. Stabinsky said: 'Climate for Trump is just one of those things that is very visible, very on his radar, very part of his messaging – anti-climate action, anti any corporate that is doing something that is visibly about climate change.' Before Trump's inauguration last month, the US's six biggest banks quit the global banking industry's net zero target-setting group. Kelly Stone, a senior policy analyst at ActionAid USA, said the move to no longer fund SBTi was 'really disappointing, but not especially surprising at this point', describing it as 'part of a corporate wave' of abandoning green ambitions. She said: 'We're seeing a huge retreat from a lot of these climate pledges from the biggest corporate and financial actors.' Peter Riggs, executive director of US nonprofit Pivot Point, said he was concerned 'about how this will impact green investment generally, and investments in energy transitions, because obviously the signal from Washington right now is very strong that renewable energies and other kinds of zero-carbon or low-carbon approaches are actively discouraged. It's not even that they're being sidelined, they're being eviscerated.' In April last year, SBTi announced plans to allow companies to use carbon offsets from the voluntary carbon market for indirect emissions, in a move some believed was influenced by the Bezos Earth Fund. It provoked internal fury from staff, who said they had not been consulted, and warned that it opened the door to greenwashing. Riggs said: 'I think there are two things at play. One is that Bezos, or the Bezos Earth Fund, ultimately decided that they weren't in the position, or weren't willing to endorse, the science-based standard because of the challenges in it. And second, the political climate in Washington having changed – they didn't want to draw a lot of attention to those kinds of commitments.' An SBTi spokesperson said: 'The three-year incubation grant made to the SBTi in 2021 by Bezos Earth Fund was designed to help us scale at the pace needed to meet extraordinary demand for our services. The grant expired in 2024 as originally agreed.' A spokesperson from Bezos Earth Fund said: 'In 2021, the Bezos Earth Fund made a three-year grant to SBTi for capacity building, which ended in December 2024 as originally agreed. There has been no change in the relationship between the Earth Fund and SBTi. SBTi has not requested additional funding from the Earth Fund. As a result, the Earth Fund has made no decision with regard to further funding.'
Bloomberg
05-02-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bezos Earth Fund Cuts Ties With Climate Standards Group, FT Says
Inc founder Jeff Bezos' $10-billion Earth Fund has ended its support for the Science Based Targets initiative, the main verifier of corporate climate targets, the Financial Times reported. The billionaire's philanthropic entity has halted backing for the group following complaints by SBTi staff about its influence, the report said. It's also seen as a move by Bezos to respond to policies favored by President Donald Trump, who last month ordered a withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement on climate action.
