14 DAY TRIAL // Mark Zuckerberg has announced the creation of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a non-profit organization tasked with researching new clean energy alternatives.
This new organization will provide financial backing for new clean energy alternatives, but at the same time it will also help projects that come up with new ideas for consuming energy from current sources.
The new organization has Silicon Valley's full backing
Besides Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) and Bill Gates (Microsoft Founder, former CEO), the Breakthrough Energy Coalition also includes the backing of other famous tech individuals like Richard Branson (Virgin Group founder), Jeff Bezos (Amazon Founder, CEO), Jack Ma (Alibaba Founder, Chairman), Meg Whitman (HP CEO, former eBay CEO), Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn Founder, CEO), Hasso Plattner (SAP Co-Founder, CEO), and Marc Benioff (Salesforce Founder, CEO).
Additionally, less-known businessmen and philanthropists have also pledged their support, with names such as Mukesh Ambani, John Arnold, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, Patrice Motsepe, Ray Dalio, Xavier Niel, Ratan Tata, Tom Steyer, Aliko Dangote, Vinod Khosla, John Doerr, Priscilla Chan (Zuckerberg), Nat Simons, Laura Baxter-Simons, Julian Robertson, Masayoshi Son, George Soros, Chris Hohn, Zhang Xin, Pan Shiyi, and the University of California also supporting the cause.
The Breakthrough Energy Coalition may work together with UN's Mission Innovation
The news comes just before the UN Climate Change Conference, set to take place in Paris next week. Rumor has it that Bill Gates is set to present with Barack Obama a new initiative called Mission Innovation.
Mission Innovation has goals similar to those of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, only it will include countries as members. Until now, 20 countries have agreed to join and pledge funds for research in clean energy sources, under the Mission Innovation initiative.
Below is Mark Zuckerberg's announcement, as well as a "teaser trailer" from Bill Gates.
