Billionaire environmental donor questioned on mining impact
8 reported
A Vox reporter interviewed billionaire investor and philanthropist Tom Kaplan about his environmental giving, following his auction of a Rembrandt drawing for nearly $18 million to benefit Panthera, a wild cat conservation group he co-founded. During the conversation, Kaplan, who made his fortune in metals mining and remains active in the industry, rejected the suggestion that mining conflicts with wildlife conservation. He told Vox that mining has a “very, very tiny footprint” compared to agriculture and climate change, and that he has never faced criticism on the issue. Vox later interviewed four mining experts who disputed Kaplan’s claim that mining has no detrimental impact on wild cats. Panthera itself lists mining as a threat to at least two wild feline species, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists mining as a threat to 19 cat species. Kaplan declined further comment after Vox shared a detailed list of its reporting with him. The article notes that Kaplan is not alone among billionaires whose philanthropy coexists with environmentally harmful business activities, citing Jeff Bezos, the owners of MSC shipping, and Kjell Inge Røkke as examples.
What’s reported
Tom Kaplan auctioned a small Rembrandt drawing of a lion at Sotheby’s in New York City earlier this year for nearly $18 million.
Kaplan said he would donate the proceeds to Panthera, an environmental organization he co-founded that conserves wild cats.
Kaplan became a billionaire through exploring for, mining, and investing in natural resources including silver, gold, and natural gas, and remains active in metals mining.
Kaplan is founder and chair of The Electrum Group, an investment firm focused on mining precious metals, and chair of NovaGold Resources, which is developing a gold mine in Alaska.
When asked if his philanthropy counterweights his industry’s impact, Kaplan said mining has a “very, very tiny footprint” and that he has never faced criticism on the issue.
Vox interviewed four mining experts who disputed Kaplan’s claim that mining has no detrimental impact on wild cats.
Panthera lists mining as a threat to the flat-headed cat and the Andean cat; the IUCN lists mining as a threat to 19 cat species including jaguars, Andean cats, and tigers.
Kaplan declined further comment after Vox shared its reporting with him.
Key figures
Tom Kaplan: billionaire investor, philanthropist, founder and chair of The Electrum Group, chair of NovaGold Resources, co-founder of Panthera.
Sara Herschander: Vox colleague who attended the auction.
Stephen Prince: multimillionaire, vice-chair of Patriotic Millionaires, former gift-card printing company owner.
Glen Galaich: author of “Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short,” CEO of the Stupski Foundation.
Jessie Bluedorn: young philanthropist and environmental organizer, funds climate justice organizations through the Carmack Collective.
Tamara Toles O’Laughlin: CEO of the Environmental Grantmakers Association.
Sources: vox.com
