How we’re choosing the planet

To choose the planet means to choose its people. Our destinies are intertwined. That’s why, for the last few decades, we have invested our time and resources not just in our Earth, but in those who call it home. And we have done so in five different ways.

One: by taking climate action

We need to cut greenhouse gas emissions. And we need to do it now. Climate change threatens every aspect of our lives. From the food we eat and the homes we live in, to the water we drink and the air we breathe.

In the race to zero-carbon emissions no one should be left behind. The transition must be fair and inclusive. At the same time, the scale and speed at which we need to reduce emissions is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. That’s why everyone needs to play their part. Including us.

Through our partners, we’re helping people make climate-positive pension decisions, supporting governments to use their spending power to cut emissions, giving climate action champions a platform to promote their agendas and much more.

Two: by powering renewable energy

By 2030, 620 million people will still not have access to electricity. How can we power those communities without turning our planet into a polluted powerhouse?

Renewable energy!

By investing in locally produced renewable energy, millions of people living in off-grid communities can earn a better income. That way, we’re not only ensuring a healthier planet, but we’re also providing people with the means to create work and earn a living.

In Kenya, for example, our partner Acumen is powering rural communities with mini-grids, while SunFunder’s cold rooms keep farm produce fresh. All by harnessing the power of the sun.

Three: by supporting agricultural livelihoods

Climate change is wreaking havoc on smallholder farming communities in Africa and Asia. A rise in temperature of just 1.5°C may substantially reduce crop yields that these communities rely on to feed their families. At the same time, agriculture is responsible for a huge proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions.

We’re helping to build planet-positive agricultural solutions. Together with our partners, we’re working to transform food systems, so they regenerate resources, enhance biodiversity and help farmers adapt to climate change. Essentially, we’re choosing the planet to secure a future for farming families.

So far, we’ve built local supply chains, created landscapes that support biodiversity, partnered with Now This media and Outrage and Optimism to explore how our food choices affect the planet, and much more.

Four: by investing in green entrepreneurship

While wealth can lift people out of poverty, unchecked economic growth can lead to environmental degradation. At our current level of consumption, it will take 1.75 planet Earths to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. That needs to change, and it needs to change right now.

Fortunately, there’s a solution!

In East Africa and South Asia, young people, women, and refugees are finding it particularly difficult to earn a sustainable income. By investing in green, circular and inclusive economies we can help them and help the planet.

From supporting young entrepreneurs in Bangladesh to empowering women who work to make a change, we champion decent employment for all.

And five: by taking immediate action

Climate change and conflict are displacing millions of people worldwide. These people are forced from their homes and communities, often having to leave in a rush, with little food or belongings for themselves and their families.

Through a select few partner organisations, we give unrestricted emergency funding to issues that require immediate attention. Issues in which time is of the essence. To learn more, visit our emergency response page.