Bezos Earth Fund’s first two named execs nabbed from groups getting big grants from the charity

The first named executives of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ $10 billion Earth Fund are former executives of organizations that received a combined $150 million from the charity’s first round of philanthropy.

Longtime ClimateWorks CEO Charlotte Pera is stepping down this month to become the Earth Fund’s second named employee, the nonprofit announced Tuesday. Pera will serve as vice president for strategy and programs under Earth Fund head Andrew Steer, the former CEO of the World Resources Institute. Bezos announced Steer’s appointment last month. Steer said Tuesday on Twitter that he plans to start work at the Earth Fund later this week.

Both ClimateWorks and the World Resources Institute received hefty Earth Fund grants last year. ClimateWorks, which funds groups looking for ways to cut down on carbon dioxide, received $50 million. The World Resources Institute received $100 million for research focused on tracking and mitigating climate change.

The Earth Fund, launched in early 2020 to fight “the devastating impact of climate change,” has operated without a dedicated staff for more than a year. The philanthropy made its first round of grants in November 2020, totaling nearly $800 million, before hiring a single employee. Bezos plans to spend $10 billion fighting climate change by 2030, Steer said last month.