Every 17 hours a billionaire is created, and every 17 hours 17,000 people die from hunger.
World Food Programme executive director, David Beasley, is calling upon U.S. billionaires to give just 0.36% of the increase in their collective wealth since the start of the pandemic to help prevent 42 million people from starving to death.
"Billionaires need to step up," he said, with a one-time donation of "six billion dollars to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them." Beasley said governments are "tapped out" and that addressing the hunger crisis was especially critical amid "a perfect storm of conflict, climate change, and Covid."
"It's not complicated," said Beasley. "All I'm asking for is .36% of your net worth increase. I'm for people making money, but, God knows, also for you helping people who are in great need right now. The world is in trouble... and you're telling me you can't give me .36% of your net worth increase?"
"What if it was your daughter starving to death?" Beasley asked. "What if it was your family starving to death?"
"I am not opposed to anyone making money, but I AM opposed to people dying of hunger when there’s $400 trillion of wealth in the world today."
In an earlier statement Beasley warned that the climate emergency stands to worsen an already grim scenario of global food insecurity.
"The climate crisis has the potential to overwhelm humanity. The world is not prepared for the unprecedented rise in hunger we will see if we do not invest in programs that help vulnerable communities adapt and build resilience to our changing climate," adding that "the climate crisis is fueling a food crisis."
Should the world be beseeching and begging billionaires to end hunger?
Should the world be depending upon the billionaires' largesse and philanthropy?
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