September 2020
In June this year the Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors both unanimously approved adding a new area of focus: supporting the environment.
More than $18 million in Foundation global grant funding has been allocated to environment-related projects over the past five years. Creating a distinct area of focus to support the environment will give Rotary members even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact.
Foundation Trustee Chair Gary C.K. Huang said that with the global population reaching near eight billion, protecting the environment is increasingly important.
Supporting the environment becomes Rotary's seventh area of focus, which are categories of service activities supported by global grants. It joins peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and community economic development.
Grant applications for projects will be accepted beginning on 1 July 2021. More information about this new cause will be announced by RI soon.
As a district we need to gear ourselves up in preparation for the seventh focus area. Some of you might be aware of an unofficial RI group that has existed since the 1990’s that are referred to as “Preserve Planet Earth”, however it is anticipated that their name will now be more aligned to the term “Supporting the Environment”. The group’s core priority is to get clubs involved in supporting their Environment.
It is deemed prudent that as a District we consider creating structures of thought leaders with representation from all 9 regions in the district to prepare and give guidance to the district.
There are two Rotary Action Groups that we can consider:
Endangered Species www.endangeredrag.org
Environmental Sustainability www.esrag.org
In addition, some members might like to get involved with an organisation such as WESSA, UNEP, Game Rangers Association, etc. For more information, click here...
