Our strategy
Climate change
Clean and efficient energy systems
We believe that clean and efficient energy systems will reduce pollution, improve health and lift millions out of poverty.
To this end, we support organisations which:
- partner with governments in their work to build a clean and safe energy future;
- advocate for improved policies, financial support of clean energy projects and innovations that increase energy efficiency;
- help integrate clean energy solutions into poverty-reduction programmes; and
- support grassroots community-led campaigns.
Sustainable cities
We believe in building cleaner, safer and healthier cities. Sustainable cities have people at the centre of their urban planning. They promote the use of low-carbon public transport to reduce car use and slash pollution.
To this end, we support organisations which:
- support plans to develop replicable, energy-efficient, mobility systems in cities;
- promote cleaner transport methods;
- encourage more financing and regulations to improve public transport systems that are safe for women, children and the elderly to use; and
- collect and monitor data that measure improvements or assess deficits in air quality.
Vehicle efficiency and electrification
We believe in creating a cleaner, low-carbon world. This can be achieved through laws that regulate vehicle efficiency and encourage the use of electric vehicles, as well as the implementation of driverless cars.
To this end, we support organisations which:
- advocate for better emissions and fuel standards;
- encourage greater use of electric vehicles and electric public and private transport systems; and
- create infrastructure for electric vehicles and better battery storage.
An enabling environment
We believe that creating jobs and economic benefits that encourage cleaner, smarter ways of powering homes and economies will improve our future.
To this end, we support organisations which:
- support businesses in moving away from fossil fuels towards greater investment in renewable energy;
- support ambitious policies that protect, respect and regenerate the climate in high-priority regions;
- work with governments to achieve climate change targets;
- advocate for monitoring, governance and processes that improve tracking of commitments to reduce emissions; and
- support movements to build political mandates for action.
Marine conservation
Small-scale fisheries
Coastal regions and marine resources are under threat from poor management, industrial fishing, excessive development and climate change. Small scale fisheries are the ocean’s largest employer, a source of food security and a way of life for millions of coastal communities and indigenous people globally.
We support organisations that:
- raise the visibility of small-scale fisheries on the global development agenda;
- ensure governance reform for small-scale fisheries is adequately funded;
- create a global network of small-scale fisheries leaders and empower them to undertake reforms; and
- improve governance reform of small-scale fisheries in at least three priority locations.
We pay particular attention to the social dimension of coastal resources because the involvement of local communities in managing their own resources is key to the success of small-scale fisheries.
Plastic waste
Between 4 and 12 million metric tonnes of plastic waste finds its way into the oceans every year (to put it into perspective, an elephant weighs one metric tonne!). This waste, if washed ashore, would cover every inch of the world’s coastline.
We believe a forceful response to cleaning up our oceans by 2025 can reduce these numbers by nearly a third. Research is an essential component of that response but most advances will come from shifting mindsets that consider it acceptable to dump plastic into the ocean. We are therefore working with businesses, non-governmental groups and other funders to find solutions.
Civil society is particularly well placed to raise awareness around waste and exert pressure on authorities to regulate the most harmful plastic varieties, making the development of robust non-governmental organisations and campaigns an essential pillar of our strategy.
The export of hazardous plastics to developing countries requires urgent reversal, and these countries also need support to modernise their own plastics collection and recycling methods. All this will require vigorous advocacy, especially with industrial producers of unrecoverable plastics.
By drastically reducing the leakage of plastic debris into the ocean, the health and integrity of marine ecosystems will be reinforced and, it is hoped, restored.
Industrial fisheries
Addressing the depletion of the world’s fish stocks and the loss of fishing livelihoods lies at the heart of our investments in fisheries management. Making large-scale, industrial fishing environmentally sustainable will ease pressure on developing countries, revitalise coastal fisheries and enhance the wellbeing of local communities.
A cornerstone of our industrial fisheries work is the elimination of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by distant fleets in developing country waters. Doing so requires documenting and disclosing these incursions as well as on stronger regulations in both industrialised fishing countries and developing countries, particularly West Africa, whose waters are being exhausted. Significant efforts, in partnership with civil society, will be made to help strengthen international fishing regulations in East Asian countries.
Eliminating overfishing also requires ecologically sustainable fisheries policies. Much can be done by supporting compliance of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, especially in the areas of sustainable fishing levels, human rights, equity and impact on the environment.
Wildlife conservation and trade
Strengthening conservation efforts to ensure the safety of endangered wildlife
Our approach:
We champion organisations that use intelligence-led approaches while building law enforcement and judiciary capacity to protect endangered animals.
Our strategy aims to:
- strengthen civil society partnerships through formal and informal enforcement networks;
- build capacity for effective law enforcement and prosecution; and
- enable conditions that ensure adequate resources are in place for targeted actions.
Governance
Our approach:
We support organisations that use solid evidence to advocate for policy reforms that build transnational cooperation and work to eliminate markets for illegal wildlife products. We also support organisations that promote effective, accountable and transparent government action that protect endangered animals.
Our strategy aims to:
- improve the regulatory environment;
- strengthen protections through mechanisms such as international and domestic bans and bilateral jurisdictional agreements; and
- promote conservation leadership among decision makers.
Global capacity: advancing knowledge, fostering innovation and leveraging funding
We believe the conservation sector can benefit from better data and analysis, technology, innovation and additional resources.
Our approach:
We support organisations that seek to advance knowledge, foster innovation and leverage funding to benefit the entire conservation sector.
Our strategy aims to build new capacities by:
- helping increase efficiencies by integrating conservation efforts into existing poverty and crime reduction programmes; and
- complementing private investments in conservation by providing leadership and collaboration. Our aim is to strengthen the resilience of the wildlife conservation ecosystem for all wild species by eliminating crime and promoting better laws, policies and market regulations.
Our funding principles
- Addressing root causes.
- Supporting realistic solutions-based strategies and objectives.
- Putting in place the enabling conditions required for an influential and diverse civil society.
- Working in collaboration with partners and other foundations.
- Using resources and taking risks to catalyse broad-scale change.
- Taking a longer-term approach.
Where we fund