Leonardo DiCaprio awards $20 million in environmental grants through his foundation

Leonardo DiCaprio announced on Tuesday that his foundation will award $20 million in grants to be spread across more than 100 environmentally focused organizations.

The new grants increase the 42-year-old actor’s foundation’s total direct financial impact to over $80 million since 1998.

Delivering a speech to a climate change conference at Yale University, DiCaprio said, ”We are proud to support the work of over 100 organizations at home and abroad. These grantees are active on the ground, protecting our oceans, forests and endangered species for future generations – and tackling the urgent, existential challenges of climate change.”

DiCaprio has called for urgent action to move to a world powered by renewable energy instead of relying on fossil fuels.

”There exist today many proven technologies in renewable energy, clean transportation, and sustainable agriculture, that we can begin a build a brighter future for all of us,” he said. ”Our challenge is to find new ways to power our lives, employ millions of people and turn every individual into an advocate for clean air and drinkable water. We must demand that politicians accept climate science and make bold commitments before it is too late.”