The Oak Foundation and global warming

The Oak Foundation is a major funder of projects addressing the issue of global warming. On it's website it states that it is "addressing global climate change by advocating for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the power and transport sectors through education, research, and policy change in Europe, Canada, and the Northeastern United States." In particular it funds projects in the United States and Europe.

US Grants for 2007

On its website the foundation lists grants on global warming-related projects in 2007 in the US as being:

• Center for Resource Solutions: "To facilitate the growth of a robust, voluntary greenhouse gas reduction market for individuals and businesses in the United States by providing industry standards to measure and verify emission reduction purchases and consumer protection guidelines to ensure purchases result in real and permanent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. (Over two years)"
• Clean Air Task Force: "To research, develop, and disseminate a mitigation plan for reducing Arctic snow and ice melt; to assist US Congressional leaders in understanding the key trade-offs between different policy designs for mandatory emission limits; and to promote the commercial expansion of coal gasification, carbon capture, and geologic sequestration technology with an initial developing world focus on China. (Over two years)"
• The Energy Foundation: "To support global warming reduction activities in the north-east United States by securing state-level policy precedents, mobilising new constituents, and stimulating clean energy technologies."
• Environment Northeast: "To build regional acceptance of and consensus around the ten priority climate change solutions as proposed in Environment Northeast’s Climate Change Roadmap for New England and eastern Canada, and to mentor and assist the Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition to increase provincial spending on energy efficiency, improve appliance and building standards, and raise policy-maker and industry awareness of climate change solutions and their accompanying benefits."
• Greenpeace Canada: "To initiate three distinct but interrelated efforts concerning tar sands in Alberta to enhance the ability of Greenpeace Canada to more effectively launch and deliver its ‘Phase Out Tar Sands Campaign’; secondly to leverage the growing interest of ranchers and landowners in limiting unbridled oil and gas exploration and production in southern Alberta; and thirdly to conduct specialised opinion research and media work to identify messaging for these and other efforts that will generate maximum information value among Albertans."
• League of Conservation Voters Education Fund: "To establish global warming as a top-tier priority for all of the 2008 presidential candidates by conducting a public education campaign targeting candidates, political journalists, state decision makers, and citizens to raise awareness about the importance of a strong national policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
• National Environmental Trust Action Fund: "To conduct state-intensive organising projects in Alaska, Virginia and Ohio to promote a national global warming policy that will include mandatory controls on carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases. NETAF will work in these States to identify and organise the most effective public constituencies to bolster support and gain Senate support for a national policy. (Over two years)"
• Natural Resources Council of Maine: "To build a broad and effective coalition of stakeholders interested in expanding energy efficiency in Maine. It proposes to: help the Governor become a more vocal advocate for energy efficiency (EE) and to identify concrete actions that the State can take to reduce energy consumption by ten per cent in the next three years; to organise EE workshops for businesses and; to help secure the passage of additional legislation that promotes EE including a mandatory residential EE code. (Over three years)"
• Natural Resources Defense Council: "To build support in the United States for clean energy technologies associated with the agricultural industry, such as a renewable fuel standard. Working with agricultural organisations, NRDC will create a guide to farm-based energy potential including energy resource databases and maps detailed to county level. It will show how counties could benefit financially by developing clean energy. The expertise developed, will in turn permit new, non-traditional voices to support a renewable fuel standard, state and federal carbon caps, and climate policies in the Farm Bill."
• Pembina Institute: "to elevate awareness of policies and targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy in Canadian national and provincial energy plans that will lead to: the regulation of large greenhouse gas emitters; the transformation of all energy-using sectors to high efficiency; the establishment of a major renewable energy infrastructure; and investment in low-carbon economies in developing countries. (Over two years)"
• SmartPower Connecticut: "To develop messaging that will result in 20 per cent clean energy commitments from the largest cities in Alaska and Massachusetts; and to create a marketing campaign to increase consumer understanding of the connection between energy efficiency and the environment. (Over two years)"
• Tides Center: "To fight global warming by implementing the necessary policies to build robust and sustainable solar markets in 10 key US states in the. (Over two years)"
• Virginia Organizing Project: "To build public awareness in the US of the human consequences of climate change by designing and implementing a daily news aggregation of mainstream media coverage on climate change (to be called The Daily Climate) and to develop a website to serve as a central hub for climate-focused non-governmental organisations. (Over two years)"

European Global Warming Projects 2007

On its website the foundation lists grants on global warming-related projects in 2007 in Europe as being:

• Alpine-Initiative: "To encourage a more progressive approach to Swiss Freight Transport Policy by solving the problem of heavy trans-alpine goods traffic, as, by linking ecological objectives with various market-economy tools, it may be possible to bring down CO2 emissions within the freight transport sector and also reduce heavy-goods road traffic to an acceptable level. (Over two years)"
• Les Amis de la Terre: "To promote housing insulation and energy efficiency in France by putting in place incentives and disincentives to encourage the renovation of about 400,000 dwellings per year. The initiative’s motivation comes from poor energy efficiency in the housing sector, which is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and in the building sector, which represents 25 per cent of France’s greenhouse gas emissions. This project will pilot solutions in one major city or regional council, with the aim of disseminating them to other European cities. (Over two years)"
• ClientEarth: "To establish at EU level, the first non-profit environmental law organisation that has a policy-making and scientific capacity. The organisation will be designed to fill the gaps in legal advocacy at EU and member country levels. By establishing a Brussels office the organisation will be able to handle overall EU-level work; including cooperating with other established NGOs and to undertake lobbying activities. (Over two years)"
• The Energy Foundation: "To conduct a study that examines the role of philanthropy in the fight against global warming. Design to Win is a multi-foundation study supported by: the Energy Foundation, the Packard Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Google.org, the Joyce Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation. The study, conducted by California Environmental Associates with guidance from experts from around the world, is designed to provide a framework for future foundation investment to fight global warming."
• Friends of the Earth Europe: "To secure binding EU legislation to ensure that by 2012 new cars sold in the EU emit no more that 120 grams of CO2 per kilometre and 80g/km by 2020. Furthermore, through a targeted and results-oriented public campaign, to influence the political debate on car efficiency so that stringent regulations on car emissions are put in place in the coming two to three years. (Over two years)"
• Friends of the Earth Hungary (National Society of Conservationists): "To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in Hungary by influencing its climate change strategy and inducing reforms in relevant sectors (particularly agricultural and domestic) while encouraging the use of EU Structural Funds. Through targeted policy campaign work the organisation will advocate for effective policy tools for climate change mitigation, including an eco-tax and binding yearly cuts in total national energy use. Public education activities will employ media, publications, websites, street action and school education initiatives. (Over three years)"

2006 Grants

On its website it lists global warming related projects that were funded in 2006 as being:

• Clean Energy Group: To develop long-term, international climate strategies that will combine policy, finance, and technology initiatives into an aggressive and comprehensive agenda for climate change innovation. (Over two years)
• Earth Action Network, Inc.: To publish a comprehensive package of articles in E-The Environmental Magazine that will compile global warming reduction initiatives in the US and around the world.
• Environmental and Energy Study Institute: "To build pressure for US federal action on global warming and energy issues and to direct action towards policies that maximise use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. (Over two years)
• Environmental Defense Action Fund (the lobbying arm of Environmental Defense: "To work with policy makers in California in support of AB 32, a proposal to cap greenhouse gas emissions."
• Friends of the Earth USA: "To carry out a national initiative to focus attention on climate change action and solutions through the documentary film The Great Warming."
• Working Films, Inc. "To create an energised and collaborative multi-year campaign built around the narrative of the film Melting Planet, including taking advantage of all opportunities associated with its release, broadcast and extensive grassroots distribution strategy. (Over two years)"

It also lists grants from previous years still being funded in 2006 as being:

• Climate Policy Center: "To develop and promote an innovative, cost-effective and centrist US climate policy that will encompass emission limits, improved R&D, and innovative ideas. (Second year of two-year grant)"
• Environmental Defense: "To disseminate clean truck technologies and fleet management practices in the US that improve the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks, as well as reducing their air pollution impact. (Second year of two-year grant)"
• Sierra Club: "To cut carbon dioxide pollution and curb global warming by encouraging Americans to increase fuel economy of new cars, SUVs and other light trucks. (Second year of two-year grant)"
• The Climate Group: "To provide core funding for The Climate Group’s communications, information and stakeholder programmes. This will enable the continuing documentation and communication of how leading organisations are reducing emissions and the benefits of their action. (Second year of two-year grant)"

Contact details

Oak Philanthropy Limited
89-91, rue de Lyon
PO Box 427
1211 Geneva 13
Web: http://www.oakfnd.org/

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch Articles

• Liberal Foundations and the Environmental Movement
• Design to Win: Philanthropy's Role in the Fight Against Global Warming
• Philanthropy and the No-Coal Movement

External Articles

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