Statements on passing of Gordon Moore, renowned philanthropist and namesake of Conservation International Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science

Arlington, VA (March. 25, 2023) –  Today, Conservation International released the following statements on the passing of Gordon Moore, philanthropist, namesake of The Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science and an Emeritus member of the Conservation International Board of Directors. 

A steadfast believer in the advancement of science, innovation and partnership, Moore’s values are reflected in the ongoing research and collaboration of Conservation International. His unparalleled support remains essential in the organization’s efforts to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time – biodiversity loss and climate change. 

Moore, alongside his wife Betty, established the Moore Foundation in the year 2000. The Foundation went on to award Conservation International with an initial series of grants totaling $261 million over a period of 10 years. At the time, the gift was the largest ever given to a private conservation organization. Moore’s early support – which grew substantially and was continued for the remainder of his life – was the catalyst behind Conservation International’s ongoing commitment to bring like-minded partners together to protect the world’s biodiversity hotspots.

Statements:

“Nature has lost one of its greatest champions. Gordon Moore’s historic gift to Conservation International was nothing short of transformational, allowing us to work with unprecedented speed and impact, in the world’s biodiversity hotspots. His humility, decency and sense of humor left a fond and indelible mark on all of us lucky enough to spend time with him,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “His generosity was rivaled only by his ingenuity: It was Gordon who first proposed the idea that computing power tends to double every eighteen months. I can think of no better way to honor his legacy than to accelerate our efforts and ensure Moore’s Law is also applied to the protection and restoration of our planet in this decisive decade.”   

“There was no challenge too big for Gordon Moore. Throughout his three decades of service to Conservation International, Gordon was an indispensable advisor, an exceptional friend, and an unflinching pragmatist. He understood that time is our most valuable commodity, and he pushed us to secure as much biodiversity as possible, as quickly as possible — so that when the world finally caught up to his thinking and realized how important it was, there would still be something left to value,” said Peter Seligmann, Chairman and Founder of Conservation International. “Conservation International would not be the same without Gordon and Betty’s faith in our mission, passion for science, and interest in delivering durable change. His contributions to humanity — and the natural world we rely on — are immense, and we will miss him dearly.”

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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.