Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio’s conservation foundation said it has awarded a $2 million grant to establish marine reserves and to stop overfishing, Reuters reports.
DiCaprio, who was named a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations last month to raise awareness about climate change, said the money provided to Oceans 5 will support marine conservation projects around the globe.
Ocean 5 is an international funders’ collaborative that supports groups working on ocean conservation projects.
“The sad truth is that less than two percent of our oceans are fully protected. We need to change that now,” DiCaprio, 39, said in a statement.
The famous star said the funds will support projects to create protected areas in the Pacific Islands and the Arctic, to improve enforcement of fishing regulations in Europe, the United States and Central America, and to protect threatened shark populations.
DiCaprio established his foundation in 1998. It aims to protect the environment and preserve the planet’s natural resources and wildlife.
