As the world prepares for a big push on environmental issues at the G7 summit, The UK’s 100 richest families are being called for to commit £1bn over the next five years to cope with the climate emergency and halt the destruction of the natural world,
Each of the 100 richest families in the UK, and the 100 biggest charitable foundations, will receive a letter on Saturday asking them to make the climate and biodiversity crises a focus of their philanthropic efforts, in order to stave off pending disasters that would imperil all their other charitable efforts.
“We are at a tipping point: without concerted and radical action, the current trends of extreme weather, increasingly hostile living conditions and ailing nature will accelerate.” The letter says.
The letter does not ask for specific amounts, but it is being reported by the international media that the signatories hope to increase funding by £1bn by 2025. At present, only about 4% of the money from UK philanthropic trusts and foundations goes to environmental causes, including climate change.
The letter continues: “The environment is humanity’s life support. Yet the human systems we have collectively established – economic, industrial, even political – are changing our climate, endangering our fellow species, and diminishing our health and wellbeing. Whatever causes you care about and already fund will undoubtedly be impacted by climate change.”
Many of the recipients, made up of the Top 100 names and families that appear in this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, are likely to have investments or strong connections to high-carbon industries or fossil fuels.
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