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How your donations can support the world's most effective climate charities.
When we think of actions that improve the environment, we usually think of recycling, driving less, or buying local food. These actions do help a little bit, but we need a systemic change to tackle big global problems like climate change.
What can people like you and I do to create the systemic change we need? Your donations can be the most impactful action you can take to tackle climate change. Based on independent research by charity evaluators, Effective Environmentalism helps you pick the most effective climate charities.
Donating is one of the most impactful things you can do to stop climate change
Research by Founders Pledge shows that effective charities have averted a tonne of CO₂ emissions for less than $10 USD.
When you take existing policies into account, personal donations are among the biggest levers that individuals can have on the climate. They should be a top priority for climate-conscious individuals.
Donating does not negate your personal responsibility to reduce your footprint, but it's a great way to expand your actions.
What makes a charity effective?
Effective charities can make a big dent in (future) emissions with limited resources. Charities that can spend additional funding effectively typically have these three characteristics:
High-leverage
They focus on tractable, systemic changes with a wide-ranging impact.
Evidence-based
Independently evaluated to make major important positive changes at scale.
Neglected
They focus on solutions that get little attention by conventional philanthropy.
We recommend donating to effective charitable funds
Donating to an expert-led fund is typically more effective than directly supporting individual charities.
Expert-led funds have several advantages:
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Funds can ensure that effective organisations receive the funding they need when they need it most.
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Funds can finance individual projects over organisations, when they deem it more impactful.
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Funds can change their recipients when the climate landscape evolves or new evidence emerges.
Donors from the United States, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands can typically donate tax-efficiently via the above links. Additionally, local effective giving funds or programmes may help you free of charge to set up donations and help with topics such as tax efficient giving. Many of the funds below follow the recommendations by Giving Green and/or Founders Pledge.
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🇳🇿 Aotearoa New Zealand: Carbon Critical Net Zero Fund
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🇦🇺 Australia: Effective Altruism Australia Environment Fund
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🇧🇪 Belgium (Flanders): Effectief Geven
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🇨🇦 Canada: RC Forward Climate Change Fund
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🇪🇪 Estonia: Anneta Targalt Planeedi Heaolu
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🇩🇪 Germany, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇨🇿 Czechia: Effectiv Spenden-Fonds: Klima schützen (also in Czech)
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🇳🇱 Netherlands: Doneer Effectief Fonds: Klimaat (also in English)
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🇵🇱 Poland: Wieçej Dobra
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🇪🇸 Spain: Ayuda Efectiva
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🇸🇪 Sweden: Ge Effektivt
You can find a more detailed list of effective climate giving organisations and funds, including which charities they support and charity evaluators they consult with, on Airtable.
Some outstanding charities
As evaluated by Giving Green.
Accelerates the development of next-generation geothermal energy
Makes alternative proteins like plant-based and cultivated meat no longer alternative
Works to decarbonize aviation and maritime shipping
Supports safer, cheaper, and more versatile forms of nuclear energy
Campaigns to decarbonize heavy industries like steel and cement
Speeds up the growth of low-carbon technologies