America’s wealthy elite pledge fortunes to humanity

Whilst this may have little to do with the immediate problems of climate change and global warming, I feel this worthy of mention, especially as Bill Gates is known to have a viable interest in global issues, climate change, and has investments in geoengineering.

Recently Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and co. have initiated a charitable venture to encourage America’s wealthy elite to sign up to pledging their mass fortunes to philanthropy and good causes. This initiative should be commended in the highest degree, and is nothing less than a praiseworthy humanitarian act, especially as there is no political enticement or encouragement to do this. It gives me the feeling that there is indeed hope for this planet yet!

Here’s what the Guardian says..

“America’s ultra-rich are queuing to join in a grand gesture of generosity. Forty US billionaires have signed up to pledge at least half of their fortunes to charity under a philanthropic campaign kicked off by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.”

“On the face of it, the sums involved are enormous. Among those committing to give away money are the Oracle business software tycoon Larry Ellison, whose fortune is estimated by Forbes magazine at $28bn, the banker David Rockefeller ($2.2bn), oilman Boone Pickens ($1.1bn) and private equity tycoon Pete Peterson ($2bn).”

“Buffett and Gates have been banging the drum for the initiative by contacting billionaires, one by one, asking them to lend their names. So far, roughly half of the 70 to 80 individuals approached have agreed to pledge money, with some promising considerably more than the minimum 50% of their wealth.”

Read more here.. “US billionaires club together – to give away half their fortunes to good causes”

You can read more about the people involved, their personal letters of pledge, and the aims of the “giving pledge” at the link below.

” The Giving Pledge is an effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their lifetime or after their death.”

http://givingpledge.org/

Hopefully these wealthy contributors will spread their contributions across a wide spectrum of worthy causes, including as Bill Gates has already hinted, into the promotion of world health, and the propagation of medicines and education.

I see this as a venerable effort to contribute to humanity in these times of economic and political fragility. And hopefully there will be many more who may sign up to a continued effort to spread charitable ventures that improve the well being of humanity, our planet and our ecosystem.