There are many organizations that focus on tackling climate change, but for those who want to donate, it might be difficult to find the one that best aligns with the right priorities and values for each individual. Looking at what a few organizations focus on and what they’ve done can educate those who are looking to support one, but don’t yet have one in mind. The following is a list of several organizations fighting the climate crisis with great ratings for both impact and transparency.

Cool Earth protects carbon sinks and gives funds to local communities to educate others about sustainability, which has led to many projects, including the development of solar farms. They also have a Rainforest Firefighters Campaign, which investigates the cause of forest fire so they can be prevented. They protect about 105 million trees, resulting in the storage of 48 million tons of carbon.

The Clean Air Task Force works to create policy framework that will widely employ proven carbon capture technologies, along with many different ways of generating clean energy, such as nuclear, bioenergy, superhot rock energy. They are also interested in altering existing energy sources, such as adding guidelines for fossil fuel plants. In 2020, the organization helped land $125 billion dollars in federal funding for climate change technologies.

The Union of Concerned Scientists promotes sustainable energy and aims to create a carbon-neutral world by 2050. They want to hold fossil fuel companies accountable and connect scientists with advocates to achieve those goals. They’ve helped enact a change in new fuel efficiency regulations for large trucks, resulting in a 37% reduction in fuel consumption over the next ten years and preserving 2 billion barrels of oil. They also played a critical role in passing a Californian bill requiring all of the state’s energy to come from clean, renewable energy sources by 2045.

Carbon 180 focuses entirely on removing carbon from the atmosphere. They collaborate with scientists, businesses, and policymakers to advance solutions that capture atmospheric carbon. Their advocacy efforts resulted in the approval of the first research program specifically designated for carbon capturing, with a budget of $60 million, as well as the allocation of $70 million from federal funding for carbon removal research and development.

Earth Justice uses a team of more than 170 lawyers to represent environmentally-focused causes at no cost, striving to decrease the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. It has played a crucial role in passing several environmental laws, including one that protects 50 million acres of forests and one requiring oil refineries to build pollution controls.

The Rainforest Alliance ensures farmers make agricultural decisions that do not negatively impact the environment, and informs consumers on what products have been made with sustainability in mind. They’ve certified more than 2.3 million farmers and protected over 3.5 million hectares of critical land. 

There is a wide range of organizations that prioritize different things, and it’s cool to see how each one goes about creating solutions they’re determined to solve. Donating to any of these companies will have a positive influence, but reading about them shows exactly how they go about fighting climate change. This way, those interested in helping their cause can support the method they appreciate most.

I started a small jewelry business this year, and decided to donate 10% of the proceeds I earn to fight climate change, but I didn’t actually know where I should donate to. I haven’t earned much yet, as I’ve only sold to friends at school, but I wanted to choose what organization I would send my funds to, so I could include it when discussing my business.

I originally thought I’d donate to something like Team Trees or something with wide recognition, but I think these organizations have a way bigger impact on the future because of their effect on technology and infrastructure. Reading about what some of these companies are working on is astonishing and inspiring, and I’ll spend my next synopsis covering the organization that I’ve chosen to donate to even more, so stay tuned to learn with me!

https://impactful.ninja/best-charities-for-climate-change/

(Okay I know this source looks bad but I also referenced each individual organization’s websites and their ratings on Charity Navigator and stuff, but I didn’t include any information in this post that wasn’t in the original article.)