Climate Group is an international network of corporations and other groups that advocate environmentalist policies. 1 Since 2004, the group has received grants from several left-of-center organizations including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. 2 3
Background
Climate Group was initially founded in 2003, while being officially launched in 2004. The group has offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Amsterdam, and Beijing. 1
Activities
As of 2024, the Climate Group claims to have a membership of over 500 corporations and other groups active in 175 different markets. 1
Climate Group functions as the secretariat of the Under2 Coalition, an environmentalist association compromised of 167 national and regional governments advocating for reducing carbon emissions. 1
The group operates several climate-focused initiatives including EP100, which researches environmentalist energy sources; RE100, which researches renewable energy; ConcreteZero, which studies how to create concrete with “net zero” emissions; EV100, which promotes electric vehicles; and SteelZero, which researches how to manufacture steel with “net zero” emissions. 4 5 6 7 8 Climate Group charges organizations $6,500 a year in membership fees to belong to EV100, EP100, and RE100. It also offers a “Gold” membership to RE100 that charges members $18,000 a year. Its ConcreteZero and SteelZero initiatives charge members $8,000 a year. 9
Climate Group hosts an annual “Climate Week NYC” event, a week-long conference that claims to invite experts and professionals from government bodies, business organizations, and nonprofit institutions to discuss the creation and implementation of environmentalist policies towards addressing climate change. 1 10
Funding
In 2004, the Climate Group’s UK branch received a $250,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in support of its “Conference of the Reducers.” 2 In 2017, its New York branch received a $300,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation meant to “build technical, analytical and leadership capacities in two Indian states…and execute programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon intensity.” 3 In 2019, MacArthur donated another $500,000 grant to “establish an online digital platform for information exchange.” 3 The group received another $500,000 grant from MacArthur meant to assist Indian states in building “their capacity to accelerate the energy transition without jeopardizing the principles of equity and social justice.” 3
Leadership
Helen Clarkson is the CEO of Climate Group, a position she has held since 2017. Clarkson is a board member of the We Mean Business Coalition and the Sustainable Development Capital Energy Efficiency Income Trust. 11
In 2024, its board of trustees included former Labor Party Premier of South Australia Mike Rann, former grant manager for the Fidelity Asia Pacific Foundation Rachel Andrews, founding partner of Winston & Strawn LLP Zoe Ashcroft, Deloitte chartered accountant Andrew Clark, sustainability finance leader Lutamyo Brenn Mtawali, CEO of Climate Arc Meryam Omi, CEO of VCCP Business Joanne Parker, founding partner of InfraRed Capital Partners James Hall-Smith, and managing director and global financial services sustainability leader at Accenture Jon Williams. 12
References
- “About Us.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/about-us.
- “The Climate Group – UK.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/the-climate-group-uk-38297/.
- “The Climate Group – North America.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/the-climate-group–north-america-10114648/.
- “EP100.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/ep100.
- “RE100.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/about_re100.
- “ConcreteZero.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/concretezero.
- “EV100.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/ev100.
- “SteelZero.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/steelzero.
- “Join Us.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/join-us.
- “Climate Week.” Climate Week NYC. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.climateweeknyc.org/.
- “Our Team.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/our-team.
- “Board Trustees.” Climate Group. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.theclimategroup.org/board-trustees.