Centre stage for climate action in every foundation!

Climate change has long been treated as an environmental problem, and philanthropic giving for climate still is way too small. Dr Lars Grotewold argue that this is dangerously short-sighted as abating climate change is nothing less than the basic prerequisite for solving multiple crises we are facing today. Every foundation, thus, should engage in climate action. By Dr Lars Grotewold (from: https://dafne-online.eu)

Climate change is a cross-cutting societal challenge

Climate change is not an environmental problem, and climate action is not about saving the planet. Climate change fundamentally is about us – about humankind’s past, present and future. It has arisen from the way we use energy to move around, heat our homes, use all kinds of electronic equipment. It has arisen from the way we produce goods, the way we eat and work. If climate change goes unchecked, it will severely impact on every aspect of human life. It will destroy the homes and livelihoods of millions of people, it will have detrimental effects on human health – and it will disproportionately impact communities who are already marginalised. Climate change will massively amplify existing inequalities and create destructive stress for our political, social and economic systems.

“It is crucially important to understand that, unabated, climate change will erode the basis of every philanthropic activity.“

It is crucially important to understand that, unabated, climate change will erode the basis of every philanthropic activity. Because whatever societal problem foundations are trying to change for the better, all our strategies rest on the fundamental assumption of the relative stability of our ecologic, economic, and institutional environments. Only this allows for long-term planning and justification of investments for social change. This very basis is at risk. Abating climate change is thus a task for all of us in the philanthropic community.

Every foundation can – and should – be part of the solution

I am not arguing that every foundation has to establish a dedicated programme on climate action. Rather, my point is to integrate a climate perspective into all existing programmes. Foundations should reflect on how climate impacts their topics of choice and integrate this into their theories of change. Let me give you an example. There is a very close link between climate and human health. Rising temperatures will have severe health impacts all around the globe. Shifting climate zones will bring about the invasion of species into areas in which they used to be absent. These will become sources of increasing cases of allergies and infectious diseases (including zoonosis like the coronavirus pandemic). We will see growing numbers affected by heat-related illness and much more. A recent study found that already now, more than one third of heat-related deaths is caused by climate change. All of this translates into millionfold human suffering, and in massive costs and stress to the healthcare systems globally. So, if your foundation works on infectious diseases, on children’s health or on the optimisation of the healthcare sector as such – just to name a few angles – do consider that all these issues are massively influenced by climate change. Be aware that climate action is public health protection and, thus, climate action is also part of the solution for the specific health challenge you are working on. Continue: https://dafne-online.eu