GlobalGiving Climate Action Fund

The next decade will be a crucial time for climate action, and hundreds of GlobalGivers are already rising to the challenge. Thanks to generous donors like you, we’re able to provide crucial funding for the five grassroots conservation champions selected to lead our inaugural Climate Action Fund. Here are a few of the latest updates on their planet-saving projects:

Austin Bowden-Kerby, our favorite coral gardner and the leader of  Corals for Conservation, just completed a visit to Samoa. Over the course of the trip, more than 100 people learned how to plant and care for heat-resistant corals. Local fishers, national fishery employees, and United Nations representatives all came together to plant seven coral nurseries in no-fishing conservation areas. These coral gardens are better suited to withstand the threat posed by rising ocean temperatures than many of the world’s reefs, which have already bleached by 51%.

Be sure to read this article in our Learn Library for more information on how Corals for Conservation is preserving these marine wonders.  Learn more.

 In partnership with Earth Day Network, Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda I.A.P kicked off 2020 with a national workshop on climate action at their headquarters in Jalpan de Serra, Mexico. The event brought together educators, activists, and the media to address the future impacts of climate change in the region and worldwide. 

Laura Perez-Arce, Director of Communications, shared the organization’s commitment to encouraging environmental stewardship in the next generation of leaders. “Each year we continue to work with the students, parents, teachers and local authorities to educate for a shared future,” she said. Learn more

Long-awaited rains have helped the tireless efforts of Sadhana Forest volunteers bear fruit (literally) as trees in Samburu, Kenya thrive. Enthusiasm among community members has also continued to grow, adding stability to the project in the new year. 

Many local schools have formed environmental clubs to plant and care for trees on their own. “It’s heartwarming and so encouraging how eager the children are to engage and learn about the trees and how to care for them. When they see us in the area they come running from their homes to get involved,”  Project Development Officer Mary McCarthy told us. Learn More. 

Warm Heart Worldwide’s “Stop the Smoke” campaign is truly taking off! In Mae Chaem, Thailand, 141 trained farmers are on track to create 50 tons of pollution-busting biochar. 

This environmentally friendly fertilizer is also attracting attention at Warm Heart’s new site in Malawi, where the number of program participants more than doubled in only three months. 

 To hear more about their progress, check out this article in our Learn Library by Warm Heart Worldwide’s founder, Michael Schafer. Learn more.

In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, Instituto Chaikuni is reintegrating indigenous knowledge into mainstream agriculture. So far, 10 farmers have completed the organization’s training program and successfully implemented these sustainable farming methods, increasing productivity and preserving the local  rainforest around them. 

Over the next year and a half, Instituto Chaikuni plans to triple the amount of land farmed in this manner, allowing local farmers, plants, and animals to flourish. Learn more.

We can’t thank you enough for supporting the GlobalGiving Climate Action Fund. Thanks to your decision to donate, grassroots climate activists are receiving the funds they need to build a brighter future for the entire planet. Stay tuned for news on our 2020 Climate Action Campaign, where you can help select the new cohort of high-impact conservation champions to spearhead our mission to protect the Earth!

 Many thanks, 

Nicole + the GlobalGiving Team

Thanks to the support of more than 200 GlobalGivers like you, the five leaders of our inaugural Climate Action Fund cohort are turning the business-as-usual approach to global climate change upside down. Your generosity has not only increased the success of their existing conservation efforts but also sparked the creation of new sustainability initiatives. From training a new generation of coral gardeners in French Polynesia to introducing eco-friendly agricultural practices in Malawi, here’s the latest news from the Climate Action Fund. 

Instituto Chaikuni is playing a vital role in the fight against the devastating forest fires in the Peruvian Amazon. By reintroducing traditional knowledge, their project eliminates destructive slash-and-burn agricultural practices. This spring, the organization held its first course in permaculture design, inspiring many community members to transition to indigenous farming methods which preserve the ecological diversity of the rainforest. When properly maintained, these restored areas provide enough food, medicine, and timber to ensure economic security for local communities while simultaneously offering a refuge to the many incredible animal species which call the Amazon home. 

So far, Instituto Chaikuni has helped participating communities cultivate 8 hectares of productive, ecologically stable agroforestry plots. Learn more.

Sadhana Forest has made tremendous progress towards their goal of ensuring food security for more than 12,500 community members in Samburu, Kenya. Their success is in large part due to increasing levels of local interest.  

“We are seeing the community taking initiative to gather knowledge to independently plant trees at their homes and schoolyards. They are empowering themselves and encouraging each other and they know that we are here at Sadhana Forest to support them with advice, seedlings, and a helpful hand,”  Project Development Officer Mary McCarthy shared. 

As more people join Sadhana Forest’s efforts, they plan to focus on planting food-producing trees near schools to provide nutritious school lunches. Learn More. 

Warm Heart Worldwide’s “Stop the Smoke” campaign is reducing air pollution and helping farmers across Thailand generate income using biochar, an environmentally friendly alternative to harmful fertilizers and destructive slash-and-burn agriculture.

The impact of this project can be felt in stories like this one, which Warm Heart founder Michael Shafer shared with the GlobalGiving team in an article on our Learn Library. 

“Loong Ai was considered too old to help with the corn harvest. At the end of December, when Warm Heart set up its first biochar demonstration, he came to watch. While the others picked corn, Loong Ai quietly made biochar from dawn to dark. By the time the harvest was finished and the rest of the villagers came to make biochar, Loong Ai had made so much money that he bought himself a pair of big water buffalo that he named 'Oon' and 'Jai'—Thai for 'Warm' and 'Heart.'"

The overwhelming success of “Stop the Smoke” in Thailand has now sparked a sister project in Malawi, where 1,000 farmers have already learned how to make and use biochar. Learn more.

Corals for Conservation has launched a new initiative in Moorea, French Polynesia, where organization leader Austin Bowden-Kerby is training a new generation of coral conservationists. In an upcoming workshop series, interns from Fiji, Tahiti, and several other nearby islands will have the opportunity to gain knowledge of coral ecology and conservation. Through education, these young environmental activists will be positioned to save the lives of thousands of rare corals and pursue careers as coral gardners at resorts throughout the islands. By incorporating coral conservation into the fabric of local economies, Corals for Conservation ensures the preservation of these fragile ecosystems for years to come. Learn more.

Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda I.A.P, an alliance of organizations working towards sustainable development in Mexico, is investing in the future of our planet by training the next generation of environmental activists. Sierra Gorda offers courses in holistic land management, biodiversity conservation, and eco-friendly community development, building a culture of sustainability and increasing local resilience in the face of global climate change. Learn more

Thank you for supporting the GlobalGiving Climate Action Fund. Because of you, local climate champions will be able to tackle this global challenge from the ground up. We look forward to sharing more stories of how your generosity is supporting crucial conservation efforts in the coming months! 

With gratitude, 

Nicole Gieselman + the GlobalGiving Team