Interview - Kumi Naidoo

Few people would disagree that the outcome of the recent Copenhagen conference was very disappointing. But are there positive things that we can build on, Caroline Hartnell asked Kumi Naidoo, the new executive director of Greenpeace International. What can individuals, civil society and private foundations do to ensure we do reach the global deal we need? Advocacy for policy change at global level is the priority now, says Naidoo. Foundations should step up their funding, and should be willing to support civil disobedience along with other approaches. Click here to read ...

Conatix offers compass for environmental financing ‘jungle’ that even Copenhagen will not solve

Current approaches to allocating funding to sustainability, climate and environmental protection lack strategy and coordination, compounding the problem of inadequate funding levels, claims a new report from consultancy firm Conatix. For example, says the Sustainability Financing Strategy 2009 Report, over the past two decades, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) – the largest single player in environmental finance – has spent only a portion of the inadequate funds it manages for the World Bank and the United Nations, although the money is urgently needed. Click here to read ...

Climate change still neglected by funders in US and UK

With warning lights for many of the planet’s key ecosystems flashing amber or red, two new reports show that despite growth in green giving on both sides of the Atlantic, environmental issues continue to receive a small share of overall foundation giving. Click here to read ...

Progress fighting climate change requires action by large numbers of people. That’s why funding advocacy for regulatory changes is popular. Let’s be honest though, even $10 million isn’t likely to be noticed among the vast

Help people keep a commitment to conservation

sums being spent by many others. There’s an alternative that can make a difference more rapidly and far more cheaply than investing in advocacy. Click here to read ...

The barefoot approach to climate change

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The indigenous peoples climate action fund

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Holding corporations accountable for climate change

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Doing a lot with very little

‘Nonsense!’ was my first and resounding response to this hypothetical question. Given the scale of the climate change challenge, $10 million is nothing. What could one do with such a ridiculous amount?

But a seed of interest was planted in my mind and step by step, walking on the streets and parks behind a stroller with my two and a half-year-old son, thoughts emerged in my mind and moved, one by one, to an imaginary waste bin. Click here to read ...

The key is coal

When we feel hot indoors, the first thing most of us do is open a window or turn down the thermostat. We do not look for new technologies to regulate indoor climate, or seek to change our countries’ policies. Click here to read ...

Skoll-AVINA partnership to halt Amazon deforestation

The Skoll Foundation and AVINA announced a $6 million partnership in March to tackle Amazon deforestation in response to climate change. Tropical deforestation accounts for approximately 20 per cent of global carbon emissions, releasing an estimated 2 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and reducing the planet’s sequestration capacity. Click here to read ...