Scientists call on UK foundations and philanthropists to increase funding for climate issues
Ten Years' Time
Game Changers
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Greenhouse successfully exceeded our expectations. We could not have secured such targeted, nuanced, widespread coverage without their knowledge and expertise.
Jake Hayman
CEO and Founder, Ten Years’ Time
Challenge
“Philanthropy’s current commitment to climate change, a small fraction of overall giving, is manifestly inadequate for the task at hand.” – Professor Larry Kramer, Hewlett Foundation, March 2017. The ecological crisis is “desperately under-funded”; less than 3% of philanthropic funding goes towards climate-related issues.
Solution
Highlight the need for the UK’s largest foundations to increase environmental donations, encourage foundations to make a commitment to radically increase environmental investments over the next ten years and share a strong call to action on steps that foundations can take.
Result
The campaign exceeded KPIs by 140%, generating 15 standout features in national, broadcast, green and third sector media, including BBC, BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, The Times, Forbes and Thomas Reuters Foundation. 77% of articles directly quoted key statistics highlighting lack of philanthropic donations to fund climate action.
Impact
The successful launch of the letter prompted response from the Wellcome Trust – the UK’s largest foundation, with £22bn AUM – that the foundation “wanted to expand its work on links between human health and climate”; as well as interest from US climate scientists to replicate in North America.
