EarthAction Report on Featured Projects - 2016
2020 Action
EarthAction continues to sponsor 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund, projects that educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens engaging them in communication with policymakers on important peace and environmental issues. In 2016, through its monthly action postcards, 2020 Action reached thousands of Americans. See our 2016 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org.
The Elders Project
Throughout 2016, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with its mission to work with and provide assistance and support to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia for projects aimed at strengthening their spiritual and traditional practices. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, has made many trips to Colombia to spend time with the traditional authorities to assist them and provide support for their work. The Elders Project is supported by grants from The Sacred Fire Foundation, Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, and others.
Save Our Spirits
Over the last few years, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction has awarded grants of over $22,000 to organizations that are working directly with indigenous peoples to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders. Grants have been awarded to local groups in the Philippines, Ghana, and Nepal. This project will continue into 2017 when a new round of grants will be awarded.
Building Understanding and Consensus on
U.S. Immigration Policies
In 2015 and 2016, EarthAction served as the fiscal sponsor for a project on U.S. immigration reform that was initiated and directed by Rick Swartz. Swartz’ team is working to build non-partisan support in Congress and among immigration advocates for sound and reasoned policies that will yield benefits to millions while avoiding the acrimony that has poisoned past efforts, This timely effort moved toward its goal of promoting an affirmative immigration strategy and has gained significant traction since its launch. Through the mainstream and social media, millions of individuals were exposed to the strategy's principles and goals. This project has been supported with generous grants from the Gilder Foundation.
Citizens’ Campaign for a Global Climate Agreement
& Climate Scorecard
In 2015, EarthAction joined with The Global Citizens’ Initiative in a campaign in the lead up to the UN sponsored climate meeting (COP21) held in Paris in December of that year. Our campaign, which wrapped up in early 2016, informed and engaged citizens, NGOs, policymakers, thought leaders, and the media worldwide about national pledges to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GGEs) and related climate policy issues. Funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund supported this campaign.
In 2016, to build upon this success, we launched Climate Scorecard aimed at tracking and sharing key information about how each of the top 25 greenhouse-gas emitting countries is or isn’t meeting its Paris Pledge. Our mission is to facilitate informed public discourse on climate change and provide information to environmental leaders and decision-makers around the world about key issues that need to be addressed if the Paris Agreement is to succeed.
We have assembled a team of Climate Scorecard Country Managers, one each for the top 25 GGE countries. Every month, we develop a thematic question related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Our Country Managers research and answer each question as it relates to his or her nation. We then compile their answers into a monthly Climate Scorecard Report that we post online and circulate to our growing network of environmental organizations, policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens.
Global Outreach & Action
Featured Campaigns on EarthAction’s Website in 2016
An Open Letter from Mayors for Peace Toward a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World • World Radio Day • Global Day of Action on Military Spending • International Women’s Day • 100% Renewable Energy: What We Can Do in 10 Years • Marshall Islands' Nuclear Disarmament Cases at the International Court of Justice • Victory in Landmark Climate Case • Film4Climate Global Competitions • Ban the Burning of PVC Plastics in South Africa & Everywhere • Take Part in Chain Reaction to Rid the World of Nuclear Weapons • Protect Refugee Women •
Stop Palm Oil Plantations & Protect Cambodian Forest
Thank You—Thank You—Thank You
EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, and donors for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Louise Hoffman, and Hal Litoff.
EarthAction, PO Box 63 Amherst, MA 01002 USA
Tel: 1 413 427-8827 E: [email protected] www.earthaction.org
