Building Canada’s Low Carbon Future: Opportunities for the Philanthropic Sector

In 2015, Environment Funders Canada (then the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network) commissioned Dunsky Energy Consulting to produce a report exploring the role for philanthropy in advancing a low carbon future for Canada.  With insights from more than 40 leaders, En Route to a Low Carbon Future, summarized key climate trends and pinpointed opportunities for the philanthropic sector to accelerate climate action in Canada.

In the five years that have passed, significant progress has been made and the momentum for climate action has grown.  Public opinion, policy and citizen engagement have evolved, leading to new opportunities for philanthropy and sustainable impact investing.  However, key headwinds remain, and the pace of change must accelerate rapidly if we are to meet our climate targets and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

With that in mind, in early 2020, EFC once again engaged Dunsky Energy Consulting to update and extend our thinking around the critical role of the philanthropic sector in accelerating climate action in Canada.  At the same time, the world was rocked by another global crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a new set of challenges, along with an historic opportunity to ‘build back better’.

Funders are invited to join us for a webinar on October 8, 2020 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET where we will introduce our new report and explore the evolving role of the philanthropic sector in accelerating climate action in Canada. Building Canada’s Low Carbon Future: Opportunities for the Philanthropic Sector assesses progress on major climate initiatives, identifies key gaps and opportunities, and concludes with recommendations for the philanthropic sector.  It also touches on COVID-19 and its potential impacts on climate action in Canada. The report was generously supported by the Trottier Family Foundation.

This webinar will be introduced by Thea Silver of Environment Funders Canada, with remarks and moderation by Annie Bérubé, Chair of EFC’s Low Carbon Funders Group and Program Director, The McConnell Foundation, and Eric St-Pierre, EFC Board member and Executive Director, The Trottier Family Foundation.  It will include a presentation of the report by Patricia Lightburn, Dunsky Energy Consulting, followed by a moderated discussion.