Leonardo DiCaprio’s foundation gave $1 million to a Seychelles debt-swap deal; by 2020, the wider project had helped the island nation protect 410,000 sq km of ocean, an area larger than Germany

• The debt conversion was supported by several private funders, including the Leonardo DiCaprio FoundationLeonardo DiCaprio Foundation was among the private funders that backed a deal helping Seychelles use debt financing for ocean conservation.
• The deal helped the island nation increase the area of its ocean under protection from just 0.04% of its Exclusive Economic Zone to 30% by 2020.
• The arrangement worked by converting foreign debt into money for long-term conservation in Seychelles, according to The Nature Conservancy.