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The Rockefeller Foundation announced the creation of a new Climate Advisory Council to help advance people-centered climate solutions that both reduce emissions and enhance opportunities for communities most vulnerable to the effects of a warming world. Together, this network of climate experts and innovators, who represent a diverse array of perspectives, experiences, and regions where The Rockefeller Foundation is operational, will serve as an influential voice to accelerate action toward a just transition and prosperous green economy.
The Council, which will meet three to four times a year, will advise on the Foundation’s portfolio of climate solutions to ensure the most transformational impact. With each member serving a voluntary two-year term, inaugural members of The Rockefeller Foundation Climate Advisory Council will have Indian Americans like Ani Dasgupta, President, and CEO of World Resources Institute, Arunabha Ghosh, Founder-CEO, Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), Archana Soreng, Khadia Tribe, India; former Member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change 2020-2023, Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma KCMG, COP26 President and Climate Finance Fellow at The Rockefeller Foundation.
“Developing people-centered solutions to climate change requires a significant breadth, depth, and diversity of expertise,” said Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs at The Rockefeller Foundation and co-Chair of the Climate Advisory Council. “We are fortunate to partner with these world-class climate leaders who will help guide our decisions and evaluate our progress as we work to develop solutions that can enhance the well-being of people and planet.”
“I am delighted to co-chair The Rockefeller Foundation’s new Climate Advisory Council. Together, we will support the Foundation to develop and scale innovative solutions to solve the climate crisis and support those most vulnerable to its impacts,” said the Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma, COP26 President and Climate and Finance Fellow at The Rockefeller Foundation, who will also co-chair the Climate Advisory Council. “I look forward to working with eminent experts across sectors in this vital endeavor to advance climate action.”
The 111-year-old philanthropic organization established the new Council while in the early stages of a $1 billion commitment to advance a global climate transition that includes everyone, especially those who are most at risk. As part of its five-year climate strategy, The Rockefeller Foundation is also targeting net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for its endowment by 2050, making it the largest private U.S. foundation to date to make that commitment. In addition, the Foundation is taking steps toward reaching net-zero for the entirety of its global operations, which include headquarters in New York City and locations in Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bangkok, Thailand; and Bellagio, Italy.
