The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s (LDF) third annual fundraising auction gala raised nearly $45 million which will go towards helping protect the Earth from climate change. 

The event was hosted in Saint Tropez last week by Leonardo DiCaprio with the support of Swiss banking group Julius Baer and Swiss watch and jewellery house Chopard and had several film stars and celebrities in attendance.

The event also honoured victims and survivors of the recent tragedy in Nice, France with LDF donating a portion of the evening’s proceeds to GiveforFrance.org. 

DiCaprio said: “While we are the first generation that has the technology, the scientific knowledge and the global will to build a truly sustainable economic future for all of humanity – we are the last generation that has a chance to stop climate change before it is too late.”

DiCaprio detailed recent progress on environmental conservation from this past year including the signing of COP21 agreement in April, where he addressed the assembled body of world leaders at the UN. Additionally, the film star recounted successful programmes LDF has supported with alongside their partners which have yielded results, including the first native tiger population increase in 100 years and the first moratorium on all new palm oil plantations in Indonesia.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco was honoured with the foundation’s first New World Leadership Award, which recognises the legacy of environmental conservation displayed by its recipient that will help the world flourish in new and sustainable ways. 

The auction included luxury collectibles and memorabilia – including personal items given by DiCaprio, and a collection of fine art from renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Pablo Picasso, Urs Fischer, Olafur Eliasson, and Adrian Villar Rojas, among many others. 

Event chairs included Boris F J Collardi, CEO of Julius Baer, Philippe Cousteau, Jonah Hill, Kate Hudson, Tobey Maguire, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chopard’s Artistic Director and Co-President Caroline Scheufele, Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson, and Charlize Theron. 

The foundation recently announced a $15.6 million portfolio to fund wildlife and habitat protection, ocean conservation, indigenous rights programmes, and the implementation of innovative solutions to combat climate change. Since 1998, LDF has given away over $59 million to fund environmental projects on every continent and in every ocean.