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Climate & Environmental Giving 2021 A Rising Tide Climate & Environmental Giving 2021 Report by Groundswell Giving and Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING 2021 AND ENVIRONMENTAL A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE Table of Contents. 5 Introduction International 6 Trends Australian 7 Trends Changing Australian Attitudes Growth in Environmental Organisations A David vs Goliath Challenge Case Studies 13 Stephen Pfeiffer The Myer Foundation Clare Herschell Alan Schwartz AM Bella Wiggs Organisations 21 Supporting Climate & Environmental Giving Groundswell Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network Impatience Earth Conclusion 24 2 INTRODUCTION A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING 2021 AND ENVIRONMENTAL A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE “Right now, we’re facing a manmade disaster of global scale - our greatest threat in thousands of years. If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon. But the longer we leave it, the more difficult it’ll be to do something about it” Sir David Attenborough, A Life on Our Planet 3 Acknowledgment of Country. Wherever we are in this country, we acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to the Elders past and present, for they hold the memories, the traditions and culture. Authors. Anna Rose Co-founder, Groundswell Giving Bella Wiggs Engagement Strategist, Groundswell Giving Daisy Barham Environmental Philanthropy Manager, AEGN 4 INTRODUCTION A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING 2021 AND ENVIRONMENTAL A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE Introduction. Global acceptance of climate change, and the Increasingly, other grant makers are having the same fundamental impact it will have on our lives, is idea. In Australia, as reports from the Australian driving a profound shift in philanthropy. Academy of Science, CSIRO, and Australia’s top scientists consistently deliver consensus of the Larry Kramer, president of the William and Flora threat our environment faces, many foundations Hewlett Foundation and the former Dean of Stanford are introducing climate and environmental funding Law School, is a leader in global philanthropy. He for the first time. Others are prioritising climate as explains that any philanthropic success has relied their sole area of giving. There is a growing trend on a stable climate, and this in turn makes climate- of philanthropists spending-down the entirety of focused giving an urgent priority: their funds by 2030 (rather than perpetuating their foundations for many decades, giving only around 5% “Everything non-profits and foundations have each year), resulting in a massive contribution during achieved and everything we hope to do has been what scientists call “the critical decade”; the time we possible only because we could assume a relatively have remaining to turn things around. stable physical and social environment that makes long-term planning, investment, and commitment Australia is home to a host of environmental and feasible… the social and political and environmental climate organisations that are doing extraordinary circumstances that have made our work and work. Some are longstanding and have proud progress possible [have begun to fall] apart… as a histories of thought leadership in these areas result of climate change. over many decades. Thanks to the resourcing of philanthropy, there is a proliferation of new “The damage to our planet is already burdening organisations in the climate space, filling much- our political and economic systems, but these needed gaps. stresses will grow exponentially in the coming years — ravaging the lives of our children and their In response, donors are connecting and sharing children for many generations unless we act to information like never before across platforms like mitigate climate change now. One needn’t believe the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network that global warming will cause the end of civilization (AEGN) and Groundswell. In many cases this is driven as we know it to recognize the crushing demands by younger family members, taking leadership with it will put on our physical, economic, political, and both their own futures and their family’s legacy in social systems, with devastating consequences for mind. everyone. We hope you find this report an inspiring call-to-arms “This is profoundly, unfathomably, maddeningly showcasing the growth in climate and environmental shortsighted. Any grant maker who just chugs along philanthropy, and the urgent need to build on the on the same issues without addressing climate is, momentum. truly, fiddling while the world burns — particularly given the certainty that whatever short-term progress is made through these efforts will be lost if climate change continues unchecked.” 5 INTERNATIONAL TRENDS A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING 2021 AND ENVIRONMENTAL A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE International Trends. In 2019 the total philanthropic contributions towards In February 2020 Jeff Bezos established the Bezos climate action worldwide was US $5-9 billion, but it is Earth Fund which pledged US $10 billion.7 Since then, less than 2%, out of a total of US $730 billion of global the Fund has awarded US $100 million each to the philanthropic giving.1 World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nature Conservancy, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Natural While 2% is clearly not enough, the good news is Resources Defense Council, the World Resources that globally there is a trend towards greater climate Institute, and grants of between US $10 and $50 philanthropy. Philanthropy is rising to the challenge. million to other organisations. Even before the ‘critical decade’ to decarbonise In a report released this year on international the global economy was underway, the Children’s climate philanthropy the US-based ClimateWorks Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) in 2018 pledged Foundation noted the trends towards increased US $500 million until 2023 towards climate action.2 giving, and made the case that this has already made This was a commitment made along with 29 other an impact. The authors write: “A decade ago, the philanthropic funds at the Global Climate Action world was on a path toward a 4°C global temperature Summit (GCAS) that totalled US $4 billion. This increase.8 Now, thanks to combined government, group is now on track to exceed this commitment to private sector, and philanthropic actions, those grant US $6 billion by 2025.3 warming projections have decreased to roughly 3°C.”9 In 2019, global furniture juggernaut, IKEA, invested US $220 million on renewable energy, forest However, philanthropy needs to continue to raise protection and replantation projects.4 In April 2021, its ambition and the flow of grant funding to avoid IKEA substantially increased its commitment to catastrophic climate tipping points. climate action, pledging a further US$1.2 billion over the next five years to fund climate projects “to reduce “While philanthropic resources alone cannot greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris match the trillions of dollars in investment needed Agreement.”5 to decarbonise the global economy, philanthropy has a unique and critical role to play… Philanthropy Also in 2019, innovative financial services company, can increase global ambition, support innovative Quadrature Capital, established a new philanthropic solutions, scale proven mitigation strategies, and vehicle focused on climate. The Quadrature Climate drive collaborative actions.”10 Foundation will give US$100 million per year over this critical decade until 2030, “making it one of the most ambitious pledges in the industry.”6 1 https://www.climateworks.org/report/funding-trends-climate-change-mitigation- 7 https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2020/11/how-jeff-bezos-spending- philanthropy/ his-10-billion-earth-fund/616977/ 2 https://ciff.org/news/2018-annual-report/ 8 World Bank Group. Turn down the heat: why a 4°C warmer world must be avoided 3 https://ciff.org/news/philanthropies-commit-to-sustained-collective-action-in- (English). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group, December 2012 response-to-the-climate-emergency/ 9 Climate Action Tracker. Warming Projections Global Update - December 2019. 4 https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/28/ikea-to-invest-220-million-to-make-it-a-climate- NewClimate Institute and Climate Analytics, December 2019 positive-business.html 10 https://www.climateworks.org/report/funding-trends-climate-change-mitigation- 5 https://ikeafoundation.org/story/1-billion-commitment-climate-action/ philanthropy/ 6 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-10/hedge-fund-s-bosses- 6 pledge-100-million-a-year-to-save-planet AUSTRALIAN TRENDS A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GIVING 2021 AND ENVIRONMENTAL A RISING TIDE - CLIMATE Australian Trends. Changing Australian Attitudes Australians are concerned about climate change and Older Australians are moving in the same direction. these concerns are directly reflected in the growth of New research from National Seniors Australia16 found climate and environmental charities. Many long term that 85% of older Australians believe climate change climate and environmental philanthropists are being is occuring, and 60% already invest in some form joined by a growing number of new foundations and of renewables. Climate action also features in their philanthropic families. These newcomers have begun thinking about legacy and
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