I asked a billionaire about his environmental philanthropy. It didn’t go well.
Billionaire Tom Kaplan auctioned a Rembrandt drawing to fund environmental conservation, but his mining background raises questions about the impact of his philanthropy. During an interview, Kaplan dismissed concerns about the environmental effects of mining on wildlife, despite expert opinions to the contrary. The conversation highlighted the complexities and contradictions in big-money environmental giving.
- ▪Tom Kaplan auctioned a Rembrandt drawing for nearly $18 million to support wildlife conservation.
- ▪Kaplan's wealth comes from the mining industry, which is known for its environmental destruction.
- ▪Experts dispute Kaplan's claims that mining has no detrimental impact on wild cats and their habitats.
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| Original publisher | Vox |
| Canonical URL | https://www.vox.com/climate/489487/billionaires-environmental-philanthropy |
| Publication time | 2026-05-26T06:00:00-04:00 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-26T10:07:47.871Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-26T10:07:47.871Z |
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ClimateI asked a billionaire about his environmental philanthropy. It didn’t go well.The contradiction at the core of big-money environmental giving.by Benji Jones and Sara HerschanderMay 26, 2026, 10:00 AM UTCSharePete Ryan for VoxEarlier this year, a billionaire investor and philanthropist named Tom Kaplan auctioned off a small Rembrandt drawing of a lion at Sotheby’s in New York City. It sold for nearly $18 million. A press release prior to the auction noted that Kaplan would donate the proceeds of the sale to an environmental organization that he co-founded, called Panthera, which conserves wild cats like lions and jaguars.At face value, Kaplan’s gift is extraordinarily generous.
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