Earth+ Programme
Rose Challies is Chief Executive of Terra Nova Foundation, a global think tank and 'change activator'.
Terra Nova has recently launched the Earth+ Programme in partnership with Rātā, to empower not-for-profits to take the first steps toward climate action within their organisations.
Embarking on a journey towards a more resilient and less carbon-emitting not-for-profit sector
As the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident, it is widely recognised that the most vulnerable members of our communities will be the most affected, deepening existing social, economic, and health inequalities and driving increased need for the services and support provided by community focused organisations.
We're already experiencing unstable weather, floods, droughts, storms, and rising sea levels in our regions. While reducing emissions can mitigate some of these impacts, we also need to increase the resilience of not-for-profit (NFPs) organisations so they can continue to effectively serve our communities and address the challenges posed by climate change.
The good news is that collectively we can make a real difference.
In New Zealand, the NFP sector comprises over 115,000 organisations, covering a range of causes and providing essential services to our communities. In 2019, emissions from NFPs in Aotearoa had risen 6 percent. While the overall emissions are just a small proportion of Aotearoa’s total, as a sector, it's important that we play our part and contribute to the country’s collective action to reduce global heating.
Building resilience is equally, if not more important, as resilient NFPs can be relied upon by their clients to continue providing their core services during times of adversity, have the foresight to avoid potential crises and the ability to learn and improve.
Terra Nova Foundation recently launched a groundbreaking partnership with Rātā Foundation aimed at supporting NFP partners on their climate journey through a free programme that provides NFPs with the knowledge, tools, and effective support needed to strengthen resilience and reduce carbon emissions. Collaborating with My Native Forest and the carbon measurement tool Cogo, the Earth+ Programme empowers individuals to take simple yet effective steps toward climate action within their organisations.
Through workshops, participants gain practical insights and strategies for improving their resilience and reducing their organisation’s carbon footprint. The first pilot workshop, held in March, marked a significant first step in our collective effort to combat climate change, with positive feedback from participants. One attendee noted, ‘We were provided with invaluable tools and models, made to reflect and question, but certainly left feeling more empowered than overwhelmed’.
Because we know that this is a journey, we have also created an online community for the Earth+ Programme to support the sharing of best practices and connect to top local expertise so that each participating organisation can access the support they need from an effective and supportive ecosystem.
While the scale of the challenge we’re all facing is daunting, we hope that the Earth+ NFP Programme will demonstrate that there are simple and effective ways to build resilience and reduce emissions.
It's never too late to start....and the time to act is now! As one of our first workshop participants highlighted, ‘We don't need to make significant changes overnight, but we need to get started. Doing nothing is simply not an option!’
Rose Challies - CEO, Terra Nova Foundation
Click here to learn more about the free Earth+ Resilience and Emissions Reduction Programme. To sign up for the programme, click here.
