ClimateWorks

ClimateWorks emerged from a study commissioned by six foundations: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; The David and Lucile Packard Foundation; The Energy Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; The Joyce Foundation; and The Oak Foundation.

Design to Win: Philanthropy’s Role in the Fight Against Global Warming, published in 2007, sought to answer a critical question: what would it take to achieve a real "win" in the battle against climate change?

The study’s authors interviewed more than 150 of the world’s leading experts on energy, climate change, and forests to identify the top priorities for slashing greenhouse gas emissions to a level that prevents dangerous climate change.

Based on Design to Win’s findings, three foundations — Hewlett, Packard, and McKnight — launched ClimateWorks in 2008 with commitments that include direct support for ClimateWorks, direct support for Regional Climate Foundations, and support for an emerging strategy to address emissions from the forests and agriculture sectors.

In addition to ClimateWorks’ support, the Regional Climate Foundations, Best Practice Networks, and aligned NGOs also receive substantial, direct funding from a pool of established donors, including the three initial funders of ClimateWorks; the Sea Change Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Arcadia Trust; Children’s Investment Fund Foundation; Ecofin Research Foundation; McCall MacBain Foundation; and Oak Foundation.

Many of these same philanthropies have a long history of investing in the climate and energy policy fields, and are actively engaged in campaigns that are consistent with ClimateWorks’ goal of achieving low-carbon prosperity.