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The titans of California billionaire agriculture, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, donated $ 750 million to Cal Tech for climate change research, which is, according to officials, the second largest donation to an institution American university.
The gift, announced on Thursday, comes as climate change and Trump administration policies are causing more and more concern, which many believe exacerbates the problem.
Cal Tech said the donation would be used to study solar science, climate science, energy, biofuels, decomposable plastics, water resources, and the environment, as well as the science of solar energy. engineering of ecology and biosphere. The school plans to create a "sustainability research institute" named for the family. This is the biggest donation that the institution has received.
"The Resnick Sustainability Institute will now be able to scale up efforts, allowing researchers from all campuses to follow their imaginations and translate fundamental discoveries into technologies that will bring dramatic solutions to the most pressing issues of the world. company, "Cal Tech said in a statement.
The gift comes after a week of events around the world to raise awareness of climate change as well as a UN climate summit in New York.
The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming "well within" 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels – and 1.5 degrees if possible – to avoid the most devastating effects climate change.
But the national targets agreed in Paris are well below this target. Human activity has already warmed the planet by about 1 degree Celsius and compliance with commitments made in Paris is likely to lead to a temperature increase of 3 degrees – far beyond what scientists consider tolerable to humanity. .
Meanwhile, the effects of global warming are hitting harder and earlier than expected. The consequences for the inhabitants are more and more numerous: hurricanes and more intense fires, more extreme heat waves, sea level rise and deterioration of the quality of the air.
United States Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned devastating consequences without "profound and unprecedented changes" to reduce emissions in just over a decade. To avoid calamity, drastic and large – scale measures will be needed to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030.
The Resnicks are among the richest individuals and socialites in Los Angeles. They are the L.A. Art Patrons and the owners of Wonderful POM and other agricultural brands. Their Wonderful Co. markets mandarins under the Halo brand, pistachios and almonds under the Wonderful brand and POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice. They control Fiji Water, Justin Vineyards and the Teleflora florist delivery service, among other companies.
Their rise has not been without controversy. During the drought in California, they were criticized for the heavy use of their businesses by water, and their business practices were sometimes scrutinized.
In a press release, the family said they hoped their donation would make a difference.
"In order to comprehensively manage the climate crisis, we need revolutionary innovations, which will only be possible thanks to significant investments in university research," said Stewart Resnick. "Science and daring creativity must unite to meet the most pressing challenges in energy, water and sustainable development."
Cal Tech said he was grateful for the gift, which had been announced for the first time in the New York Times.
"This research will undoubtedly change the world," said Sanjayan, Executive Director of Conservation International. "It could even save the world. It's so deep.
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