How a Climate Lens is changing philanthropy
Article
The level of direct climate and environment-focused philanthropy may have doubled in the last few years but keeping warming to less than 1.5 degrees will require stronger action.
More than 200 philanthropic organisations have risen to that challenge over the past 18 months by embracing the country’s first-ever Climate Lens tool developed by the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN) in partnership with Philanthropy Australia.
“This tool is resonating with philanthropy because climate change is becoming a frightening reality we are facing now, not tomorrow,” says the AEGN’s Chief Executive Officer Claire O’Rourke.
“We've seen an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather driven by a changing climate – whether that's floods across northern New South Wales, heat waves, or bushfires – millions of Australians now have first-hand experience of global warming, on our doorstep.”
Climate change philanthropy is growing – up from about 2 per cent of all giving to about 5 per cent. But that level is still too low given the scale of the challenge, which makes the Climate Lens crucial. It provides funders with practical steps, including case studies, to help them include climate action within their unique approaches to philanthropy.
“We're about halfway through what is considered the critical decade for acting on climate change,” O’Rourke says.
“Every dollar we put into reducing climate change now is an investment in future generations, and more efficient than spending magnitudes more in the years ahead on emergency responses to disaster events.”
Equity Trustees, via the Robert Hicks Foundation, helped support the development of the Climate Lens and is now using the principles across its broader portfolio of philanthropic trusts, according to Equity Trustees Environment Program Manager, Briar Stevens.
“With all organisations we now talk about the lenses that we apply: climate change, First Nations, and women and girls,” she said. “Not for profits are interested and often able to share work they’re doing with those lenses.”
The Equity Trustees-managed Walter Thomas Cottman Charitable Trust and the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust recently applied the Climate Lens, which led to it supporting the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration Climate Health initiative. The project will map priorities and consider existing research to understand how climate-related factors affect health.
Other recent partnerships are at the intersection of women and climate and leadership – Regen Melbourne and Women's Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) – thanks to the Climate Lens.
It shows the diversity of ways that the Climate Lens can be used to support funders’ existing areas of interest. For example, O’Rourke notes that many remote communities are still using polluting, inefficient diesel generators for electricity generation. Funders who are addressing First Nations disadvantage may consider supporting communities to install solar power to reduce their energy bills, provide local skill development and employment opportunities while also reducing carbon emissions – achieving impact on many fronts.
Funders can work together to learn about the best approaches, starting with organisations they currently support, she says.
“It’s quite likely the organisations that funders already support, whether that’s to tackle disadvantage or advance gender equality, are already concerned about climate change and have some cross-cutting work that they'd love to do. So a great place to start applying a climate lens is with your existing grantees and work from there.”
AEGN is set to continue working with Philanthropy Australia to further develop the Climate Lens with communities of practice, new case studies, and video content.
More than 200 philanthropic organisations have risen to that challenge over the past 18 months by embracing the country’s first-ever Climate Lens tool developed by the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN) in partnership with Philanthropy Australia.
“This tool is resonating with philanthropy because climate change is becoming a frightening reality we are facing now, not tomorrow,” says the AEGN’s Chief Executive Officer Claire O’Rourke.
“We've seen an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather driven by a changing climate – whether that's floods across northern New South Wales, heat waves, or bushfires – millions of Australians now have first-hand experience of global warming, on our doorstep.”
Climate change philanthropy is growing – up from about 2 per cent of all giving to about 5 per cent. But that level is still too low given the scale of the challenge, which makes the Climate Lens crucial. It provides funders with practical steps, including case studies, to help them include climate action within their unique approaches to philanthropy.
“We're about halfway through what is considered the critical decade for acting on climate change,” O’Rourke says.
“Every dollar we put into reducing climate change now is an investment in future generations, and more efficient than spending magnitudes more in the years ahead on emergency responses to disaster events.”
Equity Trustees, via the Robert Hicks Foundation, helped support the development of the Climate Lens and is now using the principles across its broader portfolio of philanthropic trusts, according to Equity Trustees Environment Program Manager, Briar Stevens.
“With all organisations we now talk about the lenses that we apply: climate change, First Nations, and women and girls,” she said. “Not for profits are interested and often able to share work they’re doing with those lenses.”
The Equity Trustees-managed Walter Thomas Cottman Charitable Trust and the Phyllis Connor Memorial Trust recently applied the Climate Lens, which led to it supporting the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration Climate Health initiative. The project will map priorities and consider existing research to understand how climate-related factors affect health.
Other recent partnerships are at the intersection of women and climate and leadership – Regen Melbourne and Women's Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) – thanks to the Climate Lens.
It shows the diversity of ways that the Climate Lens can be used to support funders’ existing areas of interest. For example, O’Rourke notes that many remote communities are still using polluting, inefficient diesel generators for electricity generation. Funders who are addressing First Nations disadvantage may consider supporting communities to install solar power to reduce their energy bills, provide local skill development and employment opportunities while also reducing carbon emissions – achieving impact on many fronts.
Funders can work together to learn about the best approaches, starting with organisations they currently support, she says.
“It’s quite likely the organisations that funders already support, whether that’s to tackle disadvantage or advance gender equality, are already concerned about climate change and have some cross-cutting work that they'd love to do. So a great place to start applying a climate lens is with your existing grantees and work from there.”
AEGN is set to continue working with Philanthropy Australia to further develop the Climate Lens with communities of practice, new case studies, and video content.
Last updated: 12 March 2025