Our History

By Karen Kendrick-Hands and Paul Riehemann

Paul Riehemann, Past President, and Karen Kendrick-Hands, Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin, U.S., District 6250, co-founded the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), a journey that began in May 2013.

Karen was inspired to find a path for Rotary to engage with the environment and climate change mitigation after pondering the climate future that her then infant granddaughter Claire would face as an adult. The fact that in May 2013 carbon dioxide (CO2) had just exceeded 400 ppm in the atmosphere for the first time, created an extreme sense of urgency. Stories from an episode of the radio program, This American Life, ‘Hot in My Backyard,’ persuaded Karen that Rotary, recognized globally as humanitarian organization, was well positioned to make a difference. 

A week later at their District 6250 conference, she was introduced to Paul Riehemann, the immediate past president of their Rotary Club. He shared her passion for the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Paul was inspired by the foundation laid by Rotary International (RI) President Paulo Costa and his pioneering work to create the 1990 Preserve Planet Earth Program. Press to read Past President Costa set an example for Rotary’s efforts to protect the planet. 

Paul and Karen’s mutual concerns about the relentless rise of CO2 levels and the risks that climate change created for humanity and all other life on the planet drove them to act. Pre-industrial levels of CO2 had been below 280 ppm. Scientists agree that concentrations must be reduced to below 350 ppm of CO2 to slow temperature rise. Higher greenhouse gas concentrations lead to extreme weather events, including hot, cold, drought, storm and flood, glacial melting with subsequent fresh-water resource reduction, changing atmospheric and ocean currents, species collapse, reef bleaching, and an increase in environmental refugees. The increase in wildfires, species collapse and even dangerous turbulence that disrupts flights are all caused by accelerated temperature rise. 

Together Paul and Karen developed an action plan for Rotary to explicitly include the environment and climate as PROACTIVE elements of its humanitarian work. They started at the club level by forming the Going Green Fellowship Group (GGF) within their Rotary Club. 

A presentation to the Club by Nobel laureate climate scientist and public health expert Dr. Jonathan Patz, helped the GGF build momentum. At the suggestion of the District Governor from their club, Paul and Karen pursued a long-range effort to amend RI’s Constitution standard bylaws to include:

“Article 25: Global Warming Humanitarian Crisis

RI supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the global warming humanitarian crisis.”

Karen and Paul were invited to share their progress at their 2014 District Conference. 

Karen traveled to the 2014 Sydney Rotary International Conference (RICON) to explore forming a Rotary Action Group (RAG) for climate change and the environment. She made the case for climate action by talking about the need to protect water, because of Rotarians understanding of and dedication to clean, safe water for everyone. Press to see “What about Global Warming” and “Statement on Water” the literature distributed at RICON 2014 Sydney.

Karen gathered over 300 signatures from those who wanted to work on environmental issues within Rotary. She met founding Board Members Kazi Al Hoque (Bangladesh) at WASRAG’s World Water Summit, and Mark Krawczynski (Poland) and Jeremy Wright (Australia), and future ESRAG Chair Pat Armstrong (Australia) in the House of Friendship. She also met future RI Director Peter Kyle, who has been a great friend to ESRAG.

Throughout 2014, Karen and Paul pursued the many steps to take a proposed Enactment through the rigorous Council on Legislation process. On one of Paul and Karen’s trips to Rotary Headquarters in Evanston Illinois to discuss next steps, RI staff suggested that we create an environmental RAG.

Paul, sponsored in part by Karen who could not attend because of recent medical issues and a Dengue outbreak, traveled to the 2015 Sao Paulo RI Convention. Using a 7-foot tall ESRAG banner, with the added label “proposed” to comply with RI’s rules, Paul promoted the concept of ESRAG at pre-RI Convention WASRAG and Peace RAG conferences. Paul found overwhelming support for ESRAG, as he collected 200 business cards in just the first few days, noting who was interested in helping create ESRAG and/or those with experience in an environmental field, and tracking geographic and gender diversity. Paul seized the opportunity and invited key Rotarians to the first ESRAG meeting on June 9, the second to the last day of the convention. RI Director Mary Beth Growney Selene and Al Jubitz (Peace RAG Co-founder) were able to attend. Karen phoned into the meeting and participated from the U.S. Many attending would become founding members.

On August 4, 2015, Paul and Karen submitted their Application for Recognition, with nearly 600 names from over 50 countries when only 50 names from 5 countries were required. (August 4, 2014, Application for Recognition.)

At their October 2015 meeting, the RI Board of Directors formally approved ESRAG as a RAG. ESRAG was granted non-profit tax status (501 (c) (3) by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, in November 2016.

Paul and Karen had successfully founded ESRAG even though Rotary did not yet have an Area of Focus for the Environment. They had successfully created a place for like-minded Rotarians concerned about the environment and climate change to gather and make a difference through action.

During the 2016 COL Proceedings, the RI Board floated a counter proposal to block the proposed language about climate change, which if passed would have had immediate binding effect on the Board. Ultimately, a narrower proposal merely to amend RI’s standard club constitution to empower clubs to take climate action was tabled. Sadly, the COL missed the opportunity to engage in the discussion about the humanitarian crisis of climate change, the desire for which had inspired Paul and Karen’s journey. Though the proposed enactment was not adopted at the COL, the process did elevate the discussion of environment and climate action within Rotary at all levels.

Like many of you, I have learned more about Global warming, Climate Change, Greenhouse Gasses and “Going Green” in the last year and a half, than I thought possible. All of that is thanks to Paul and Karen. In addition to caring about our environment, they have shown all of us what PASSION can do to start a conversation. And indeed, Karen and Paul have started the conversation – throughout this Club, all the Clubs in our District 6250 and, because of their leadership and commitment, internationally, with the Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group. Some of you may not know that ESRAG met for the first time in Sao Paulo – and had international members at least five months before it was officially approved by the RI Board of Directors. While the proposed Climate Change enactment at the 2016 Council on Legislation failed, we cannot stop the conversation. Since last Thursday, and again, under the leadership and passion of Paul and Karen, hundreds and hundreds of e-mails have been sent from the international network they have created. I truly believe the conversation is just getting started. . . .

Today, I would like to recognize Paul with a Level 2 Paul Harris Fellow and Karen with a Level 4 Paul Harris Fellow, for their passion for DOING GOOD FOR THE WORLD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST, PRESENT, AND NO DOUBT, FUTURE SERVICE TO OUR WORLD.

PRIP Barry Rassin initiated engagement with the United Nations Environment Program as part of Rotary UN Day held in Nairobi in 2017. In anticipation of broader cooperation, ESRAG members worked with UNEP’s communications team to create a handbook for Rotarians to use in support of the UN’s June 5 World Environment Day (available for download in both English and Spanish). He appointed Karen Kendrick-Hands to attend the UN Climate Talks, COP 24 in Katowice, as RI’s first observer delegate. View Karen’s COP 24 blog posts. 

He also invited Rotarians to have a conversation about climate change, which poses an existential threat to his island nation, the Bahamas.

In preparation for RICON 2020 Honolulu, PRIP 2019-20, Mark Maloney requested a proposal from ESRAG as for to offset the carbon emissions from air travel to RICON. Alas, COVID pandemic led to the cancellation of RICON before the program could be finalized, however, the flight carbon estimator, with compensation fees donated to The Rotary Foundation (TRF), was created and is still being used.

PRIP Mark Maloney insisted that TRF reconsider whether to add the Environment as a seventh Area of Focus. At his urging, TRF invited Trustee and PRIP Ian Riseley to form and chair an Environmental Issues Task Force. Karen Kendrick-Hands had the honor to present to Task Force in Feb. 2020, on behalf of ESRAG, the only Rotarian to be invited. She made the case that to be relevant to the next generation of Rotarians, Rotary must work on environmental issues and address the humanitarian crisis of climate change. She urged that adding the environment to Rotary’s causes would grow both membership and contributions. Press for Ensuring Environmental Sustainability presentation and closing statement. 

In June 2020, as one of his final Presidential acts, PRIP Maloney announced that TRF trustees and the RI Board had voted unanimously to add the Environment as Rotary’s seventh area of focus. TRF began accepting Global grant applications for environmental projects June 2021. 

PRIP Shekhar Mehta was the first Rotary International President to attend a Conference of the Parties (COP) for UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). With the assistance of Judith Diment, MBE then Dean of the Rotary Representative Network, President Mehta attended COP26, Glasgow 2021 and committed Rotary funds to support ten mangrove restoration projects around the globe; since then there have been over thirty similar projects. PRIP Jennifer Jones led Rotary’s delegation to COP 27 Sharm el-Sheikh and highlighted the AOF for the Environment by promoting pollinator gardens and the protection of the monarch butterfly Migration in North America. 

ESRAG’s Operation Pollination provides dozens of ambassadors who support the initiation and maintenance of pollinator gardens. Immediate PRIP Gordon McInally led Rotary’s delegation to COP 28 Dubai, where RI hosted and programmed a booth in Blue Zone and highlighted the need to be open and caring about each other’s mental health, including the rise of Climate Anxiety.  

As of June 2024, ESRAG has over 1800 members strong, from over 100 countries and over 330 RI Districts. Our work in support of the environment and climate action is multi-faceted through project development Task Forces, ongoing assistance with Global Grant applications, extensive communication through its webpage, esrag.org; monthly newsletter, social media posts, project seminars, iRotree to record and track project impact, trainings, and participation in Rotary events around the globe throughout the year. We have pioneered the formation for 13 Regional chapters.

Past Chairs (in order): Paul Riehemann, USA; Karen Kendrick-Hands, USA; Peter Moralee, UK; Christopher Puttock, USA; Rick Randolph, USA; Patricia Armstrong, Australia. ESRAG’s immediate past Chair is Yasar Atacik, Turkey. The current chair as of July 1, 2024, is Yavuz Atila, USA.