Karl Burkart

As the Director of Media & Technology at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Karl Burkart leads a grant portfolio focused on scientific research and innovative solutions to address our three greatest challenges -- climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security. He also oversees the digital and communications operations of the foundation, which received over 4 billion media impressions in 2018. Karl holds his Masters degree in architecture and environmental systems design and was an early advocate in the green building movement, developing an award-winning sustainability database for clients such as Kaiser Permanente. He opened a digital design and content development practice focused on sustainability in 2004 and has since launched over 100 websites and mobile applications. He penned the blog @greendig, which was later acquired by the MNN network, and he created the first online environmental news show for the Discovery Network’s Planet Green, producing over 200 video episodes during a two-year run. In 2010 he became the digital director for the Global Call for Climate Action, a network of 500 NGOs in 75 countries and led digital advocacy for the TckTckTck campaign, which secured over 17 million signatures in support of a bold UN climate agreement.

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