Welcome back to The Strawman, the daily climate newsletter that sticks around longer than tech billionaires' climate commitments. Today, we’re looking at Jeff Bezos’s decision to drop funding for a key climate body—and why that might have more to do with Washington than the weather. Let’

From Green to Gone

The Bezos Earth Fund, Jeff Bezos’s $10bn philanthropic effort to fight climate change, has stopped funding the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)—one of the world’s most influential climate standard setters.

The SBTi helps companies like Apple develop credible “net zero” strategies, and Bezos’s fund had been one of its biggest financial backers, pouring in $18 million since 2021. But that relationship is over, with sources saying Bezos wants to avoid picking fights with Donald Trump.

Some at SBTi had already pushed to diversify funding sources to reduce the perception of influence from Bezos’s fund, especially after concerns were raised about its stance on carbon offsets. Now, both sides are walking away.

The Politics of Philanthropy

Tech billionaires aren’t just about disruption and moonshots—they also like not getting steamrolled by regulators. With Trump back in power, executives from Amazon, Meta, and Google have been scrambling to cozy up to the administration as they seek relief from antitrust scrutiny, AI regulation, and deal restrictions.

Bezos, who spent years battling Trump over Amazon’s business and The Washington Post’s coverage, seems to be adjusting his strategy. Dropping climate funding could be part of a broader effort to smooth relations, especially as Trump rolls back environmental regulations.

Climate Philanthropy in Flux

Bezos’s exit from SBTi raises a bigger question: how reliant is climate action on billionaire money? In recent years, climate non-profits have leaned heavily on grants from tech moguls, including the Bezos Earth Fund, Google, and Meta. But with political winds shifting, groups that once had deep-pocketed allies are now looking for new funding sources.

Meanwhile, the broader climate philanthropy world is on edge, as Trump freezes foreign climate aid and organisations like the World Resources Institute (WRI) assess what it all means.

The Strawman’s Takeaway

Bezos’s decision to cut climate funding isn’t just about philanthropy—it’s about power. With Trump back, corporate America is adjusting—and climate groups might have to brace for a world where billionaire-backed green funding starts to dry up.