News from the Natural World: Shock announcement as French elite redirects £600m for Notre Dame to the Amazon Rainforest. The sweeping move aims to reduce deforestation in the great lungs of the world.
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault (the richest man in France) previously promised £200 million, as well as Bettencourt Schueller of L’Oréal. Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of Total also donated £100 million. Whilst Francois Henri-Pinault, of Kering also agreed to match the figure. This brought the combined total from the French elite and their most powerful humans to £600m.
After much self-reflection, the four French elite changed their minds. Was this too much to spend on Notre Dame? £600m for a building, albeit a beautiful one. This was a time when the world has faced colossal forest fires in Australia. There have also been rampant drought & famine in Central Africa. Also, the hottest day on record was recorded in Antarctica. But most of all, the continued destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. The 4 French billionaires decided it would be madness to spend £600 million on renovating a beautiful building. They have instead redirected all funds towards local, on the ground, conversation efforts to save the Amazon rainforest from destruction.
After a small public outcry, many have now greeted the news with great positivity as the charred shell of the beautiful Notre Dame serves as a haunting reminder of both the beauty of humanity’s craftsmanship & skill and the ability to turn away from itself to a more positive course. The news that the French elite will direct £600m from Notre Dame was greeted with joy. This huge step towards saving the planet and the ecosystems which we depend on over an individual building of great beauty and meaning has been met with great admiration from all species on the planet.