Environmental organisations that rely on philanthropic giving will be heartened by the latest report from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN).
The Environment and Climate Change Giving Trends 2025 report tells us that environmental philanthropy has increased in recent years, reflecting the urgent need to address climate change and biodiversity loss.
The AEGN report found that:
‘[A]round one-third of Australia’s 50 biggest donors and more than half of the 50 largest corporate philanthropic organisations gave to the environment as one of their main causes.’
However, according to the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA), one of the biggest challenges that environmental organisations face in attracting philanthropic funds is explaining the vital link between environmental health and our daily lives.
This is where natural capital accounting comes in.
When we measure – and report on – the environment with natural capital accounting, we can explain the link between what the environment is and what it does.
Ecosystem services and benefits
Environmental philanthropy delivers far more than just healthy ecosystems. It underpins the very foundations of our economies and societies through supporting and conserving ecosystem services and the benefits they provide.
We’re not just investing in nature – we’re investing in managing the flow of services and benefits to people, communities and the economy.
For example, a wetland area might cover several hectares, made up of water, soil, flora, fauna and air. Together, the elements of that wetland provide an array of services and benefits, including:
- water purification and flow regulation – reducing the need for constructed interventions
- climate regulation – mitigating the impacts of climate change
- recreation – providing wellbeing and economic benefits to the community.
Understanding the services and benefits that ecosystems provide helps us explain why nature matters – and why we need to invest in maintaining and improving it.
At IDEEA Group, we’ve developed a useful tool for linking environmental activities, and the investments that support them, to environmental, economic and social outcomes. Our real-world methodology for understanding and reporting on that link supports investment and strategic decision-making.
This means you can finally tell your comprehensive natural capital narrative to demonstrate your value and comparative advantages in the natural capital space to investors and other stakeholders.
Connect with us today for a walk-through of the methodology and a discussion on how it can be applied to your organisation, in your environmental context.
