Time for Philanthropy to Respond to the Climate Crisis
Together, we have the resources and influence to make a massive difference through our granting and investment practices, and our advocacy. Fortunately, there is still time to act to avoid the worst repercussions of runaway climate change.
By Karel Mayrand, Eric St. Pierre, and Sherry Yano
This op-ed originally appeared in the Province on October 28, 2021 (page 11).
In June of this year, the temperature in Lytton broke all previous Canadian records at a sweltering 49.6 degrees Celsius. Two days later, the entire town was forced to flee as a wildfire engulfed the community.
During that same week of record-breaking temperatures, 570 people in B.C. died of heat-related causes. That number of deaths in just one week is equivalent to more than half the number of COVID-19 deaths in the Metro Vancouver region since the pandemic began.
To quote Chief Patrick Michell of the Kanaka Bar First Nation: “We now live in the age of consequence.”
Indigenous peoples, who have been warning for decades of the impacts of a changing climate on their lands, water, air and ecosystems, are on the frontline of this climate catastrophe.
Canada is the world’s third-largest per-capita emitter of greenhouse gases, while our emission reductions lag behind our G7 counterparts. Our climate is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and we are already experiencing drastic consequences — from wildfires in the west and droughts in the prairies, to melting permafrost in the north and extreme storms in the east. These trends are rooted in the reality that the extraction of natural resources fuels the Canadian economy.
To address this reality, we must recognize our moral — and practical — responsibility to do our fair share to reduce global emissions.
Climate change is hurting communities across the country. Countless stories of destroyed homes, uprooted lives, and broken hearts are proliferating with each passing day. Over 200 medical journals have declared climate change to be the greatest threat to public health. Moreover, studies show that historically and perpetually excluded communities are disproportionately affected by its impacts — from air pollution and heatwaves to floods and other extreme weather events. Climate justice is an equity issue, and it is fundamental to Canada’s reconciliation agenda.
All corners of Canada’s foundation community, representing over 10,000 organizations with close to $100 billion in assets, have a common interest in prioritizing climate action. What was once perceived to be a diffuse, far-off environmental issue has become a clear and present threat multiplier endangering the long-term safety, sustenance and wellbeing of communities. Many foundation models are premised on supporting thriving communities in perpetuity.
Yet the IPCC warns us that in a world that heats up by more than 1.5 degrees — a possibility in the next 15 years — living conditions will deteriorate drastically, and, as a result, weaken the promise of healthy, equitable and just communities that define much of foundations’ goals.
Canada’s commitment to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals requires us to leave no one behind. And yet, collectively, funders have fallen short from focusing on a key issue impacting every aspect of our society — with direct implications for every priority area of Canada’s foundations and their programming.
On average, one per cent of philanthropic dollars globally goes toward climate mitigation every year. In Canada, most funding goes toward large educational, medical and faith-based organizations. These are worthy causes, but foundations must also think about how they can grow their granting and investments to address the climate crisis while delivering their missions. In other words, we need more funding and more funders in climate change and the issue-areas it intersects.
Together, we have the resources and influence to make a massive difference through our granting and investment practices, and our advocacy. Fortunately, there is still time to act to avoid the worst repercussions of runaway climate change.
For all these reasons, we are calling upon Canada’s foundation community to join forces and sign onto the Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change, which includes calls to action in seven key areas: Education and Learning, Commitment of Resources, Integration, Endowments and Assets, Operations, Influencing and Advocacy, and Transparency.
Whether we are supporting health, education, faith, research, culture, policy, civic engagement, gender equality, social justice, environment or any other cause, we can apply a climate lens to all our granting. Foundations must also align assets with the targets of the Paris Agreement which Canada signed in 2015. This includes reducing the carbon footprint of financial assets to net-zero by 2050. Many large pension funds, university endowments and foundations are leading the way, and they can help others by sharing the expertise they have built.
On Nov. 1, leaders in government, business and non-profit sectors will gather in Glasgow for the 26th annual climate summit (known as COP26). This is an all-hands-on-deck moment — and Canada’s foundations must do their share. Many of our foundation endowments were established generations ago, and expect to serve Canadians for generations to come.
At this critical juncture in our history, our generation holds the keys to the future. In the face of this unprecedented crisis, we have the opportunity to be guided by the wisdom and leadership of Indigenous peoples as well as the obligation to do all we can to protect those who will come after us through bold and forward-thinking action.
Karel Mayrand is the executive director of La Fondation du Grand Montréal; Eric St. Pierre is the executive director of the Trottier Family Foundation; Sherry Yano is the director of grants and community engagement for the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia.
Learn more: Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change
Published on: October 2, 2021
Together, we have the resources and influence to make a massive difference through our granting and investment practices, and our advocacy. Fortunately, there is still time to act to avoid the worst repercussions of runaway climate change.
By Karel Mayrand, Eric St. Pierre, and Sherry Yano
This op-ed originally appeared in the Province on October 28, 2021 (page 11).
In June of this year, the temperature in Lytton broke all previous Canadian records at a sweltering 49.6 degrees Celsius. Two days later, the entire town was forced to flee as a wildfire engulfed the community.
During that same week of record-breaking temperatures, 570 people in B.C. died of heat-related causes. That number of deaths in just one week is equivalent to more than half the number of COVID-19 deaths in the Metro Vancouver region since the pandemic began.
To quote Chief Patrick Michell of the Kanaka Bar First Nation: “We now live in the age of consequence.”
Indigenous peoples, who have been warning for decades of the impacts of a changing climate on their lands, water, air and ecosystems, are on the frontline of this climate catastrophe.
Canada is the world’s third-largest per-capita emitter of greenhouse gases, while our emission reductions lag behind our G7 counterparts. Our climate is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and we are already experiencing drastic consequences — from wildfires in the west and droughts in the prairies, to melting permafrost in the north and extreme storms in the east. These trends are rooted in the reality that the extraction of natural resources fuels the Canadian economy.
To address this reality, we must recognize our moral — and practical — responsibility to do our fair share to reduce global emissions.
Climate change is hurting communities across the country. Countless stories of destroyed homes, uprooted lives, and broken hearts are proliferating with each passing day. Over 200 medical journals have declared climate change to be the greatest threat to public health. Moreover, studies show that historically and perpetually excluded communities are disproportionately affected by its impacts — from air pollution and heatwaves to floods and other extreme weather events. Climate justice is an equity issue, and it is fundamental to Canada’s reconciliation agenda.
All corners of Canada’s foundation community, representing over 10,000 organizations with close to $100 billion in assets, have a common interest in prioritizing climate action. What was once perceived to be a diffuse, far-off environmental issue has become a clear and present threat multiplier endangering the long-term safety, sustenance and wellbeing of communities. Many foundation models are premised on supporting thriving communities in perpetuity.
Yet the IPCC warns us that in a world that heats up by more than 1.5 degrees — a possibility in the next 15 years — living conditions will deteriorate drastically, and, as a result, weaken the promise of healthy, equitable and just communities that define much of foundations’ goals.
Canada’s commitment to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals requires us to leave no one behind. And yet, collectively, funders have fallen short from focusing on a key issue impacting every aspect of our society — with direct implications for every priority area of Canada’s foundations and their programming.
On average, one per cent of philanthropic dollars globally goes toward climate mitigation every year. In Canada, most funding goes toward large educational, medical and faith-based organizations. These are worthy causes, but foundations must also think about how they can grow their granting and investments to address the climate crisis while delivering their missions. In other words, we need more funding and more funders in climate change and the issue-areas it intersects.
Together, we have the resources and influence to make a massive difference through our granting and investment practices, and our advocacy. Fortunately, there is still time to act to avoid the worst repercussions of runaway climate change.
For all these reasons, we are calling upon Canada’s foundation community to join forces and sign onto the Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change, which includes calls to action in seven key areas: Education and Learning, Commitment of Resources, Integration, Endowments and Assets, Operations, Influencing and Advocacy, and Transparency.
Whether we are supporting health, education, faith, research, culture, policy, civic engagement, gender equality, social justice, environment or any other cause, we can apply a climate lens to all our granting. Foundations must also align assets with the targets of the Paris Agreement which Canada signed in 2015. This includes reducing the carbon footprint of financial assets to net-zero by 2050. Many large pension funds, university endowments and foundations are leading the way, and they can help others by sharing the expertise they have built.
On Nov. 1, leaders in government, business and non-profit sectors will gather in Glasgow for the 26th annual climate summit (known as COP26). This is an all-hands-on-deck moment — and Canada’s foundations must do their share. Many of our foundation endowments were established generations ago, and expect to serve Canadians for generations to come.
At this critical juncture in our history, our generation holds the keys to the future. In the face of this unprecedented crisis, we have the opportunity to be guided by the wisdom and leadership of Indigenous peoples as well as the obligation to do all we can to protect those who will come after us through bold and forward-thinking action.
Karel Mayrand is the executive director of La Fondation du Grand Montréal; Eric St. Pierre is the executive director of the Trottier Family Foundation; Sherry Yano is the director of grants and community engagement for the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia.
Learn more: Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change
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