Launch of Environmental Laureates' Declaration - How can foundations approach environmental issues?
News (International)
22 September 2014
Foundations and philanthropists could create a tipping point in the fight against global warming, according to the largest and most international declaration ever made by environmentalists.
An appeal has been published by 160 environmentalists in advance of the New York Climate Summit, urging foundations and philanthropists to “to deploy their endowments urgently in the effort to save civilization”.
The appeal warns that the that climate change has the potential to devalue and destroy positive impacts achieved by philanthropy across society. The European Environment Foundation has organised this declaration and has suggested three principal courses of action for philanthropists to support the appeal:
- Invest directly in clean energy companies and low-carbon projects;
- Withdraw investments from fossil fuel companies or campaign as shareholders for them not to develop new reserves;
- Make grants to support clean energy start-ups and stimulate the development of low-carbon markets.
To learn more about the environmental laureates’ declaration, and to see how other foundations are approaching environmental issues, you can visit the European Environment Foundation’s website here.
