Elon Muskhas soldaround $ 5 billion of his neckcloth in Tesla concisely after heran a Twitter pollasking if she should betray it , regulatory filing reveal . That , in turn , fall out a conditional offer todonate $ 6 billionto solving humankind thirst – there are no reports yet of an actual contribution , and there is evidence Musk wasplanning to sellfor other reason . Much of the money will be required to paya recent taxation bill , but perhaps public pressure will convince Musk to send some of it towards fulfil his hope .
As a ecumenical rule , it ’s a bad estimation to ground major life decisions on a societal media poll – specially on Twitter , where voters may well not be your supporter . Nevertheless , when your part and options in a company are value at $ 240 billion , maybe selling 4.5 million of them is n’t too major in the terrific scheme of things . This number to 3 percent of Musk ’s Tesla stake , in addition to his holdings in other companies . However , it could be a major determination for the earthly concern if he follows through with the ( again tweeted ) offer to donate to hunger bar .
A combination of pandemic - induced obstacle to deal , natural disasters made worse by global heating and state of war has caused asharp increasein the numeral of people undernourished worldwide after years of decline . David Beasley , manager of the Nobel Prize Wiining United NationsWorld Food Program(WFP ) , has made increasingly direct song for billionaire , particularly Musk and Jeff Bezos to “ step up now , on a one - time groundwork ” to turn to the trouble .
Musk answer with a since - edit tweet ; " If WFP can distinguish on this Twitter thread precisely how $ 6B will puzzle out world hungriness , I will deal Tesla stock right now . " The phraseology of his subject matter was equivocal . Did the WFP take to show this money could wipe out hunger exclusively – a task for which $ 6 billionis unlikelyto be even temporarily adequate – or just to show it could make a measurable dispute ?
A week afterward Musk ran a Twitter poll enquire :
The sale followed , but correlation coefficient is not always causation .
So far the UNWFP has n’t reported meet the money , or even providing a plan to meet Musk ’s demand on how they will spend it
Traditionally most of the WFP ’s roughly $ 8 billion budget comes from the government activity of wealthier countries . Few , however , have indicated they would increase their share to match the current crisis .
The WFP has tell itneeds $ 6.6 billion , on top of existing funding , to come up to the want of those currently on the verge of famine . That certainly wo n’t eliminate hunger only – solving world thirstiness is likely to follow thePareto Principlewhere the last 20 percent take 80 percent of the effort . However , if Musk comes through , it will mean millions of people will survive who might otherwise die , and tens of meg more will be spared lifelong impairment . If other billionaire are convinced into following , the impingement could multiply .
