Collaborate to accelerate: Climate philanthropy in action

As we walked into a packed room for our panel on bridging the climate philanthropy gap at this year’s Climate Week NYC, the energy was palpable.

Our partnership with WINGS led us here. It’s built on a shared mission to advance the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change – and encourage foundations to embed climate into everything they fund. Recognising our complementary networks, we convened influential voices in climate philanthropy from Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the US. The vision? To share stories of collaboration and hear global leaders reflect on progress. Amid a week buzzing with announcements and climate ambition, this conversation felt different – grounded, urgent, and human. It asked a simple question: How can we work together better to move faster?

Philanthropy’s ultimately about creating meaningful impact – and that means creating spaces where unlikely allies can share knowledge, align priorities and act collectively. Addressing climate challenges demands a shared purpose, but also strategic co-ordination – and that’s the call we’re answering now.

Radical collaboration in practice

Now in its tenth year, the Under2 Coalition – the largest network of states and regions that have committed to net zero by 2050 at the very latest, which has nearly 200 governments and is convened by Climate Group – empowers subnational leaders to drive climate action from the ground up. These locally led solutions have global impact – and foundations play a key role in the coalition’s work.

For example, California, the world’s fourth-largest economy, is setting a global standard in sustainable transport with its fully electric rail system and plans to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

Seventy-three percent of Under2 governments are leading with subnational transition plans, and half of those are as ambitious, or even more ambitious, than their national governments. The Under2 Coalition’s deep connections to communities and policymakers ensure philanthropic capital is deployed where it’s needed most – cascading impact and enabling continuous learning. This is what strategic partnership looks like: adaptive, inclusive, and built to last.

Through initiatives like the Future Fund, the Coalition ensures that climate finance flows to the frontline and no community is left behind. To date, the project has raised over US$1.5 million and funded over 22 projects from Mexico to Indonesia.

Strategic partnerships can help counter critical climate challenges. Methane is rising faster than ever, with 80 times the warming power of CO₂. Cutting methane is the fastest way to slow global warming – it’s the emergency brake on climate change.

This is why we are pleased to co-ordinate the Subnational Methane Action Coalition – with 22 members across 5 continents, and 40 members predicted to join by 2027. In partnership with the Global Methane Hub, an Under2 member state and a university partner, we’re empowering city, state, and regional governments to cut emissions from methane – a vital step in slowing climate change. It’s helping governments develop new methane strategies anchored in localised learning and scalable impact, while our work with the LOW-Methane initiative ensures efforts are aligned, not duplicated. By connecting global expertise with subnational leadership, we’re ensuring diverse voices are at the table.

We’re seeing more purpose-led alliances uniting people from different sectors including philanthropy to address systemic challenges. For example, the Global Industry Hub, is dramatically expanding opportunities for civil society to engage with key stakeholders on targeted interventions. It has also strengthened the core of our SteelZero and ConcreteZero initiatives (designed to cut steel and concrete emissions, together responsible for 15 percent of global emissions), advancing demand-side commitments, data transparency, and policy advocacy more effectively.

As a result, new possibilities, previously out of reach, are emerging. Growing engagement from stakeholders across Asia could now pave the way for national or sectoral roadmaps for steel and concrete net zero transition – encompassing standards, policy, and industry mobilisation. This is the kind of real-world impact made possible by the adaptability and reach of funding collaboratives.

Collaboration in Asia

The expansion and diversification of Asian philanthropy presents an important opportunity for deeper inter-regional collaboration. Locally led, networked traditions of giving are evolving into powerful platforms for collective climate action, reflecting Asia’s long history of community-driven philanthropy and its growing leadership in shaping global solutions.

Shaun Seow, CEO of Philanthropy Asia Alliance (centre) at the Hub at New York Climate Week. Photo credit: Climate Week NYC

At Climate Week NYC, Shaun Seow, CEO of Philanthropy Asia Alliance, said: ‘It is the climate decade in Asia.’ The region is both a frontline of climate vulnerability and a frontier for innovation and global impact. From the rise of blended finance models that scale projects in climate adaptation and renewable energy, to the trillions of dollars poised for intergenerational wealth transfer, Asia’s resources and leadership are setting the pace for sustainable transformation. Shaun underscored the importance of working and learning together, welcoming collaboration from global organisations alongside local implementation partners who understand the terrain.

We’re taking this approach in Indonesia, where our renewables initiative, RE100, is working in partnership with the Institute for Essential Services Reform and the energy think tank, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Our joint paper seeks to unlock corporate renewable electricity use in Indonesia through power wheeling, or shared use of the country’s transmission and distribution lines. Our policy recommendations draw on global corporate demand for renewables, local expertise, and economic insight, providing key information to engage policymakers ahead of critical upcoming national energy policy windows. 

Today, it’s clear philanthropy’s power lies in scale and in connection – its ability to listen, convene, and act across borders. We’re witnessing a rebalancing where locally rooted traditions of giving evolve into globally connected networks. When local insight connects with global ambition, and funding is guided by trust and collaboration, we unlock change needed for a liveable future.

As we look ahead to COP30, this is Asia’s moment to lead: by banding together, Asia’s philanthropic community can accelerate climate action, shape resilient solutions, and deliver on the promise of the climate decade. We must move forward with purpose, humility, and intent – and keep building strong alliances that turn shared vision into lasting impact.

Ruby Chorbajian is director of philanthropy & institutional relations at Climate Group, and Esther Hughes is senior development manager at Climate Group.