The funds will benefit conservation groups the Great Gatsby star feels are "working to solve humankind's greatest challenge", including Amazon Watch, Save the Elephants, Tree People and the World Wildlife Fund, according to the New York Post.

A statement from the actor reads: "The destruction of our planet continues at a pace we can no longer afford to ignore.

"We have a responsibility to innovate a future where the habitability of our planet does not come at the expense of those who inhabit it."

The 40 year old launched the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation in 1998 and has donated millions of dollars in grants over the years to causes fighting to protect the environment and wildlife.