Moreover, as many of the most important climate solutions cannot deliver financial returns, these can fall beyond the reach of even the best ‘sustainable’ funds.
This is why the Global Returns Project says philanthropic giving to high-impact climate organisations delivers results at the speed and scale necessary to make a difference.
Travers agrees: "We must act now because while we can plant new trees, or restore degraded habitat, the most effective solution is to protect standing habitat – especially forests. Acting fast is key to safeguarding these landscapes before it’s too late."
Measurable impact
There is a measurable impact, which should be outlined to potential investors wanting to put their money where they can see not only a financial return but a clear, positive environmental one.
According to Travers, since 1988 Rainforest Trust UK has sponsored the creation of more than 46.3mn acres of protected areas, and less than 1 per cent of the forest within these areas has been lost.
This has saved thousands of species from extinction, she says.
“Lack of action will lead to more and more loss of critical rainforest habitat. Tropical forests not only store carbon, they actively remove it through sequestration from the atmosphere.
"We need to halt deforestation now, both to keep historical carbon safely locked up in trees and soil and to enable forests to keep removing excess CO2 from the air."
Without these critical functions in place, the climate will continue to change at a rapid pace, destroying habitat and resources on which both humans and wildlife species rely.
Travers and Swiderski both note that finance can be easily reorientated to help combat environmental and social problems related to the climate crisis.
Challenges to conservation
The most frequently mentioned challenge to conservation is the shortfall in long-term financial investment of at least seven to 10 years needed to establish protected areas.
Financing is especially needed to strengthen the capacity of local and Indigenous organisations – usually smaller in size – that are embedded in the local socio-economic and cultural context of a region and therefore poised for success in achieving sustainable results.
"The struggle for local communities to make a living in many regions targeted for conservation requires international support.
"It is critical that we support these communities in their efforts to develop sustainable, alternative livelihoods and/or receive financing from mechanisms like carbon and biodiversity credits,” says Travers.
Swiderski says: “Donating to charities that have co-benefits as the consequences of their actions” is really important.
He gives the example of charities engaging their local communities, drawing from and helping protect and preserve local knowledge about nature-based climate solutions.
The charities selected by the Global Returns Project are:
- Global Canopy.
- Rainforest Trust.
- Client Earth.
- Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
- Trillion Trees.
- Blue Marine Foundation.
Rapley explains that 80 per cent of the capital flow goes towards life destruction rather than benefiting life – namely, these stop destructive activities happening and make positive things happen.
