Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio slammed GOP presidential contenders on climate change Wednesday, after giving $5 million to an island nation in the West Indian Ocean to fight the effects of global warming.
“We should not have a candidate who doesn’t believe in modern science to be leading our country,” DiCaprio said while addressing reporters in Japan as part of promotion tour for his film “The Revenant,” which opens there this week.
“Climate change is one of the most concerning issues facing all humanity, and the United States needs to do its part,” the actor said.
A week earlier, the 2016 Oscar winner’s philanthropic foundation provided $5 million as a part of a massive grant package to the island nation of Seychelles for ocean conservation and combating the effects of climate change.
The environmental group Nature Conservancy provided the bulk of the money for the project in the form of a $21.4 million low-interest loan, in which the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation contributed an additional $5 million in private grants, according to the foundation’s website.
DiCaprio’s foundation has provided more than $30 million in grants to organizations in dozens of countries.
“I’m proud my foundation is partnering with Seychelles and the Nature Conservancy on this innovative project that will protect this vital ocean habitat and fragile marine life,” DiCaprio said in a statement. “We champion projects like this one across the globe that use cutting-edge methods in conservation and environmental protection.”
He said the deal would enhance “food security for the local people of Seychelles,” while helping to fight the effects of climate change on the low-lying island nation and protect the rich ocean ecosystems for future generations.
