After days of marching for climate change awareness in Manhattan, DiCaprio, 39, was honored for his philanthropic efforts Sunday. World Wildlife Fund CEO and President Carter Roberts presented the actor with the Global Citizen Award, calling him the voice that “Mother Nature needs,” Variety is reporting.

“Now what does that say about us that we care so deeply about growing our own economy and yet do so little to protect our only home?” DiCaprio asked in his acceptance speech, which discussed his beliefs on the importance of recognizing environmental issues. “Less than three percent of all philanthropic giving goes toward protecting and preserving our environment.

That’s ridiculous. And a fraction of that three percent goes to protecting our oceans, which is the foundation of all life on this planet.”

Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s Mission:

Dedicated to protecting Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions that create a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Since 1998, the Foundation has been working on pressing environmental and humanitarian issues through grant making, campaigning and media projects. Areas of focus include; land, oceans and species conservation, climate change and disaster relief. The Foundation’s strategic approach to philanthropy for a better planet relies upon active collaboration with effective organizations as well as with other funders who share our goals and can magnify our impact.

PHILANTHROPY
Providing grants to innovative, results-driven conservation projects, collaborative initiatives, and trusted nonprofits. Recent philanthropic efforts include;

• Protecting Tigers from Extinction: a conservation effort in Nepal to protect critical tiger habitat led by World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with local communities, and the Nepali government

• Saving the Last Rainforests: a collaborative effort with WWF, Frankfort Zoological Society, the Australian Orangutan Project, Kehati and Eyes on the Forest to save the largest remaining block of rainforest in Sumatra, home to wild tigers, orangutans, elephants and two indigenous tribes

• Protecting Our Oceans: an international funders collaborative called “Oceans 5” dedicated to stopping overfishing and establishing marine reserves, the two highest ecological priorities identified by scientists

• Saving Sharks: a successful effort of six organizations from five different countries to secure international trade restrictions for five species of threatened sharks at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

• Protecting Antarctica: a grant for the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, a coalition of over a dozen organizations working on five continents to secure the largest network of marine reserves on the planet

• Providing Access to Clean Water: a grant to Concern Worldwide, providing 430,000 people in Tanzania, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Darfur with sustainable access to clean water.

 

Dedicated to protecting Earth’s last wild places and implementing solutions that create a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Since 1998, the Foundation has been working on pressing environmental and humanitarian issues through grant making, campaigning and media projects. Areas of focus include; land, oceans and species conservation, climate change and disaster relief. The Foundation’s strategic approach to philanthropy for a better planet relies upon active collaboration with effective organizations as well as with other funders who share our goals and can magnify our impact.

PHILANTHROPY
Providing grants to innovative, results-driven conservation projects, collaborative initiatives, and trusted nonprofits. Recent philanthropic efforts include;

• Protecting Tigers from Extinction: a conservation effort in Nepal to protect critical tiger habitat led by World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with local communities, and the Nepali government

• Saving the Last Rainforests: a collaborative effort with WWF, Frankfort Zoological Society, the Australian Orangutan Project, Kehati and Eyes on the Forest to save the largest remaining block of rainforest in Sumatra, home to wild tigers, orangutans, elephants and two indigenous tribes

• Protecting Our Oceans: an international funders collaborative called “Oceans 5” dedicated to stopping overfishing and establishing marine reserves, the two highest ecological priorities identified by scientists

• Saving Sharks: a successful effort of six organizations from five different countries to secure international trade restrictions for five species of threatened sharks at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

• Protecting Antarctica: a grant for the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, a coalition of over a dozen organizations working on five continents to secure the largest network of marine reserves on the planet

• Providing Access to Clean Water: a grant to Concern Worldwide, providing 430,000 people in Tanzania, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Darfur with sustainable access to clean water

CAMPAIGNS:
In tandem with LDF’s philanthropic efforts, the foundation uses digital media and Leonardo’s website & social media channels with 20 Million+ followers, to inform and rally the public on specific calls-to-action. LDF also works behind the scenes to encourage collaboration between organizations, other celebrities and decision-makers.

Leonardo currently serves on the board of the World Wildlife Fund, Oceans 5, Pristine Seas, The Natural Resources Defense Council, and International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Justin Winters is the Executive Director of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Over the past 7 years, Justin has helped Leonardo reshape his approach to philanthropy and activism, leveraging his position as a global figure to influence decision-makers and the public on pressing environmental issues.

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is a component fund at the California Community Foundation

World Liberty TV, Team was on hand at the CGI 2014,Humanitarian Awards Gala where we had the pleasure of meeting Superstar Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Founder, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.