Bezos and Sanchez invest $25 million in Pacific ocean conservation
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Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos, through the Bezos Earth Fund, are giving $25 million to support ocean conservation across five Pacific nations, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
The funding will help these countries protect over 625,000 square miles of ocean, an area larger than Alaska, and build upon existing conservation efforts. Sanchez recently visited Fiji and observed the connection between healthy reefs and local communities, which influenced her commitment to the project.
The grants will be used for different conservation goals in each country. In the Cook Islands, BirdLife International will expand an existing marine park. Kiribati will focus on identifying important habitats and strengthening legal protections. Papua New Guinea will work toward establishing its first large offshore marine protected area. Tonga will aim to protect 30% of its ocean, and Vanuatu will implement a national marine spatial plan.
Beyond national waters, the Bezos Earth Fund also gave a grant to Rare to help Pacific nations create proposals for protecting international waters under the UN High Seas Treaty, which takes effect in January 2026. This treaty creates a framework for protecting ocean biodiversity beyond national borders, important for migratory species like whales, sharks, and tuna. The fund emphasizes that successful conservation requires ongoing monitoring, enforcement, and community involvement, not just designating protected areas.
With this new funding, the Bezos Earth Fund has now committed $63.3 million to Pacific ocean conservation.
