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May 05, 2008
Council on Foundations
Fighting Global Warming
“This is not a time for business as usual,” said Stephen B. Heintz, president of Rockefeller Brothers Fund in New York, moderating a session on the role of philanthropy in dealing with global climate change.
Mr. Heintz said that global climate change should not be considered solely an environmental issue and that grant makers focused on causes as diverse as the arts and human rights should take steps to deal with global warming. “It’s time for every foundation to find their path to helping solving this global destruction,” Mr. Heintz said.
Betsy Taylor, founder and chairman of 1Sky, a charity in Takoma Park, Md. dedicated to raising public and political awareness of climate change and some possible solutions, said her organization has attracted 47 youth groups, including some evangelical groups that are pressuring Republican lawmakers to pass legislation to curb climate change.
Some change in the climate is already causing damage, and will continue to do so regardless of longterm steps people take, so foundations should also support efforts to figure out how to adapt to the damage.
In response to a question from an audience member about the possible hypocrisy of foundations fighting global warming while some of their endowments might be invested in industries thought to contribute to the problems, Mr. Heintz stressed the importance of active shareholders. He noted that two members of the Rockefeller family that sit on the board of the foundation have introduced stockholder resolutions on global warming at Exxon’s stockholder meeting.
“This is a hugely important event,” he said, noting that the Rockefeller family helped found what became Exxon Corporation.
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