In late 2024, the Independent Philanthropy Association of South Africa (IPASA) launched the South African Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change, an initiative urging South African funders to include climate considerations into their investment strategies, operations, and grant making.
This pledge is the first of its kind in Africa and the tenth globally, marking a significant step forward in the continent’s engagement with the global Philanthropy for Climate movement.
The movement is an expanding network of philanthropic organizations worldwide, with pledges already established in Canada, Spain, France, Italy, the UK, Poland, and Brazil, alongside a regional pledge from the Arab Foundations Forum and the International Commitment led by WINGS and Philea.
By joining this global effort, IPASA aligns South African funders with an international coalition committed to addressing, adapting to, and mitigating climate change.
Funders who sign the pledge committed to:
Signatories of the pledge commit to integrating climate considerations into their core missions, ensuring that climate action is integrated into investment strategies, grant making, and daily operations.
A key focus is on directing resources toward climate mitigation and adaptation, particularly in frontline communities disproportionately affected by climate change. By shifting funding priorities, philanthropic organizations and CSR initiatives can address both the immediate impacts of climate change and its long-term structural causes.
Furthermore, the pledge calls for funders to align their assets and endowments with a just, low-carbon transition, ensuring their financial strategies do not contradict their climate commitments. This means divesting from high-carbon industries, investing in sustainable enterprises, and promoting environmentally responsible economic growth.
Additionally, signatories commit to minimizing their environmental footprint by adopting eco-conscious business operations, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and rethinking procurement practices.
Beyond financial commitments, the pledge also recognizes the unique climate challenges Africa faces and the historical inequalities in climate finance. It emphasizes the need for stronger collaboration between Global South and Global North funders, ensuring that African voices and solutions are prioritized in the global climate discourse.
By using their influence, signatories pledge to advocate for stronger climate policies, support policy-driven philanthropy, and push for increased financial flows toward Africa’s climate adaptation efforts.
A Toolkit and Resource Pack for Funders
However, many philanthropic organizations have struggled to understand how climate change applies to their work, how to integrate it into their strategic planning, and how to find effective, scalable solutions.
To bridge this gap, IPASA carried out a series of webinars termed “Future Proofing Philanthropy in South Africa Against Climate Change” creating a platform for funders to discuss climate challenges and opportunities.
This engagement process led to the development of the IPASA Climate Change Toolkit, designed to help funders incorporate climate considerations into their grant making, investments, and operations step by step.
Why This Pledge Matters for South Africa and Africa at Large
While this pledge is South Africa-specific, its implications stretch across the entire continent. Africa contributes less than 4% of global carbon emissions, yet it faces some of the worst climate impacts.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) State of the Climate in Africa 2023 report, climate change is already costing African economies between 2–5% of GDP annually, with some nations diverting up to 9% of their national budgets to climate disaster response. The financial burden is immense, with Sub-Saharan Africa requiring $30–50 billion annually for climate adaptation over the next decade.
“If urgent action is not taken, an estimated 118 million people living in extreme poverty (on less than $1.90 per day) could be exposed to droughts, floods, and extreme heat by 2030, “the report warns.
This will severely undermine economic growth, worsen food insecurity, and place additional strain on poverty alleviation efforts.
IPASA’s pledge, therefore, comes at a critical juncture, pushing philanthropy to fill the gap where government and international aid fall short. The success of this initiative could serve as a blueprint for other African countries, encouraging philanthropists across the region to prioritize climate resilience.
With Africa at the frontline of the climate crisis, this pledge signals a shift in mindset, where funders recognize their responsibility to drive sustainable development and climate justice.
With this initiative, the question now is: Will the rest of Africa follow South Africa’s lead?
