7th Area of Focus

The Environment: Rotary’s Newest Area of Focus

In June, 2020 the The Rotary Foundation Trustees and the Rotary International Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the Environment as the seventh Area of Focus. In January, 2021, they finalized the policy detailing the kinds of projects that will now become eligible for Global Grants. The Rotary Foundation will begin accepting grant proposals in July, 2021. As the Foundation prepares to support the new Area of Focus, you can read an overview here.

The Foundation has published Global Grant Policy guidelines, for the Area of the Focus for the Environment, which you can download the new policy here.

Rotary Past President Ian Riseley posted this picture on his Facebook page June 26, 2020, with this joyful news: “The Trustees and Directors have unanimously accepted our recommendation to create a 7th Area of Focus of our Rotary Foundation, being the Environment. As Chair of the Task Force that put together and argued for this decision, I’m enormously proud today. This photo is of the four Trustees, one Director, and one Rotaracter who comprised the Task Force, plus the outstanding and dedicated staff who assisted us in arriving at our recommendation. Congratulations, team, we just made Rotary history!”

Eligible projects cover an array of fields:

• Protecting and restoring land, coastal, marine, and freshwater resources

• Enhancing the capacity of communities and local governments to support natural resource management and conservation

• Supporting agroecology and sustainable agriculture, fishing, and aquaculture practices to improve ecological health

• Addressing the causes of climate change and climate disruption and supporting solutions to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases

• Strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities affected by climate change and climate disruption

• Supporting education to promote behaviors that protect the environment

• Advocating for the sustainable consumption of products and the environmentally sound management of byproducts to build a more resource-efficient economy

• Addressing environmental justice issues and environmental public health concerns

ESRAG supported the creation of a new and unique Area of Focus for the Environment, and our directors and members are thrilled by this decision. ESRAG and its regional chapters are providing an array of online webinars to share lore from sustainability work all around the world. Many include talks from internationally renowned scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, and journalists. In addition, ESRAG’s task forces and teams are available for technical assistance to members of the Rotary family on projects such as renewable energy, carbon offsets, and Project Drawdown-informed solutions.

ESRAG’s GreenPosition Paper about adding the Environment as an AOF is the first in a series of position papers about important environmental topics. You can read this Green Paper, issued January 22, 2020, here: ESRAG’S POSITION ABOUT THE ADDITION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AS AN AREA OF FOCUS

This paper was the basis of Karen Kendrick-Hands’ presentation to The Rotary Foundation’s Environmental Issues Task Force, February 3, 2020, when as ESRAG’s Representative, she travelled to the Rotary International Headquarters, in Evanston, Illinois to present at the opening morning session.

Here are HER SLIDES (7.5 mb) and CLOSING REMARKS.

Our Themes

The six key themes for ESRAG to make a difference.