Addressing Overconsumption
Justice must be at the heart of climate action, which means looking honestly at disparities in consumption and emissions.
To stay on a fair and equitable path to emission reduction and global warming of no more than 1.5C, Oxfam estimates that: “the carbon footprint of the richest 10% of Europeans must be ten times smaller by 2030, and that of the richest 1% 30 times less than now. By contrast, the footprint of the poorest 50% [of Europeans] must be halved.”
Despite the urgent need to address overconsumption, funding for such initiatives remains staggeringly low, often at or below 1% of environmental grants from European foundations.
2024 Funder Survey on Overconsumption
Recognising the importance of overconsumption in relation to planetary boundaries and emissions, Oak Foundation commissioned a survey of foundation staff, leaders and boards to understand funder perspectives and uncover unexpressed perceptions within the philanthropic community.
Inspiringly, 90% of respondents agree that a sustainable future requires a fundamental shift away from the levels of resource consumption that characterise rich world economies and lifestyles.
Further, many respondents reported that the philanthropic organisations they work with are already shifting towards consumption reduction via projects focused on both individual and systemic levers, like circular economy, energy transition, culture change, and wellbeing economics.
However, there is still a significant gap between what foundation staff would like to support and what they currently fund. The survey uncovered some critical barriers preventing funders from supporting overconsumption initiatives, including remit limitations, discomfort with deep change, tensions between our current social, economic, and ecological systems, and a lack of knowledge or strategy for how this shift could unfold.
“Changing the way society views success would be an incredible win. All the work that is done that is not done for money currently has no value, which is just insanity.”
– Funder Survey participant
Moving Forward
The survey revealed a clear interest among foundation staff in addressing overconsumption for a sustainable future, yet current funding in this area remains limited.
Many questions remain unanswered: What support and resources do funders need to start working on overconsumption, and to overcome the barriers acknowledged in the funder survey? How can we build acceptance of the need for deep, systemic change? What actions should be prioritised next?
However, one thing is certain – to meaningfully and sustainably address climate change and inaction, justice and community investment are critical. And to reckon with the concerns of funders through collaboration and pooling of knowledge and resources is paramount to their valuable engagement with this complex issue.
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Watch the video recording or view the slideshow to learn more about the survey.
A report on the results of Oak Foundation’s Funder Survey on Overconsumption will be released by the Hot or Cool Institute later this year.
For further enquiries on the survey and how to get involved, contact f4sl@hotorcool.org.
