After launching in 2022, Drawdown Stories worked this year to more deeply deliver on its core purpose: to “pass the mic” to the climate heroes who often go unheard and, in doing so, invite people everywhere to tap into their unique superpowers to help the world stop climate change. 

In 2023, we connected with communities worldwide, from the more than two dozen climate heroes featured in this year’s Drawdown’s Neighborhood series to the thousands reached through virtual and in-person engagements to the countless others exposed to our work through partners like The Weather Channel.

At Climate Week NYC, in front of an audience of nearly 400 people, Project Drawdown director of storytelling and engagement Matt Scott spoke about why Drawdown Stories does the work that it does:

“The center of the work that [we] do is passing the mic to those that often go unheard and centering underrepresented communities and voices. For a long time, I did not connect with the culture of the environmental space. I didn't connect with the stories that were being told. And when you can't connect, when you don't see yourself represented, you don't enter those spaces… More of us need to see ourselves represented in this space… When I think about the culture I want to shape, I want it to be one where people's stories aren't overlooked. Where they're heard, where they're represented, and where people feel like regardless of where they come from, regardless of what they're wearing or how they show up, that they belong.”

Within Project Drawdown, the Drawdown Stories program uses storytelling to promote new narratives and new voices. We do this to shift the conversation about climate change from “doom and gloom” to “possibility and opportunity,” and to elevate underrepresented climate heroes who have been traditionally excluded from the climate space.

We’re excited to share some of the ways we made progress this year.

We explored drawdown-aligned careers with nearly 30 underrepresented climate heroes nationwide.

The climate solutions short documentary series Drawdown’s Neighborhood continued to build the diverse tapestry of stories celebrated by Project Drawdown. The new stories weaved into the fold center myriad perspectives, including those of Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people, as well as those from various religions, backgrounds, and traditions. The 28 climate heroes included:

• Doreen Abubakar, Founder and Urban Environmentalist, Community Place-Making Engagement Network (New Haven, CT)
• Nathaly Agosto Filión, Steering Committee Member, Newark Green Team (Newark, NJ)
• Jose Alvillar Hinojosa, Statewide Director of Youth Programs, Unidos MN (Twin Cities, MN)
• Amanda Appelson, Former Marketing Manager, Plantega (Bronx, NY)
• Melody Arcia, Communications Coordinator, SOUL (Sustaining Our Urban Landscape) (New Orleans, LA)
• Joshua Benitez, Co-Director, Common Ground Relief (New Orleans, LA)
• Bob Blake, Owner, Solar Bear; Executive Director, Native Sun Community Power Development (Twin Cities, MN)
• Travis Charles Banks, Project Manager and Principal, Gravel Road Builders & Construction Services (New Orleans, LA)
• Anthony Diaz, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Newark Water Coalition (Newark, NJ)
• Xóchitl Garcia, Environmental Justice Community Organizer (New Haven, CT)
• Jan Hagerman, Manager of New Brighton ReStore, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (Twin Cities, MN)
• Jothsna Harris, Founder and Principal, Change Narrative (Twin Cities, MN)
• Jonshell Johnson, Education Coordinator, Grow Dat Youth Farm (New Orleans, LA)
• Willie Jones III, Green Infrastructure Technician, Groundwork New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
• Schandra Madha, Compost Coordinator, Mobile Market Co-Manager, and Farm Staff, New Haven Ecology Project / Common Ground Urban Farm and High School (New Haven, CT)
• Emily Mauter, Former Director of Advancement, Repowered (Twin Cities, MN)
• Hailey Miranda, Youth Team Leader, We Stay / Nos Quedamos (Bronx, NY)
• Alboury Ndiaye, Sustainability Specialist, Waste Wise Foundation (Twin Cities, MN)
• Crispin (Cris) Phillips, Former Urban Agriculture Manager, Appetite for Change (Twin Cities, MN)
• Yesenia Robles Pelayo, Fleet Logistics and Shop Assistant Manager, Hourcar Evie (Twin Cities, MN)
• Alex Rodriguez, Environmental Justice Specialist, Save the Sound (New Haven, CT)
• Christian Rodriguez, Community Farm Manager and Organizer, Ironbound Community Corporation (Newark, NJ)
• Jennifer Seda, Volunteer Program Assistant, Bronx River Alliance (Bronx, NY)
• Shelley Stiaes, Wildlife Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (New Orleans, LA)
• Whitney Terrill, Former Environmental Justice Program Manager, Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (Twin Cities, MN)
• Ashley Thompson, Resident Services Coordinator, SBP (St. Bernard Project), St. Peter Apartments (New Orleans, LA)
• Bilal Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Al-Munir LLC (Newark, NJ)
• Tinice Willams, Executive Director, Feed the Second Line (New Orleans, LA)

We connected with thousands of people from around the world through in-person and virtual engagements.

This year, we shared our message far and wide, including with FEMA’s Resilient Nations Partnership Network, the Great Northern Festival, the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey, the National Environmental Justice Conference, the Philadelphia School District, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, the Climate Museum, the Planet Forward Summit, the Society of Environmental Journalists Conference, Pinterest’s Creator Inclusion Fund, and Ecochallenge.org – through the annual Drawdown Ecochallenge – as well as through a range of events with K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. At Climate Week NYC alone, Drawdown Stories hosted several events in collaboration with the Ingka Group’s Action Speaks Summit, the Nest Climate Campus, and the Marketplace of the Future.

We also hosted three Drawdown’s Neighborhood preview screening celebrations in locations where the series was filmed, including in the Twin Cities, New Orleans, and New York City. Through these events, we reached around 500 community members including public and private sector leaders, climate professionals, environmental justice advocates, educators, faith-based organizers, and everyday climate heroes from a wide range of locally and nationally recognized institutions.  

In addition, through the Drawdown’s Neighborhood series, we connected viewers with learning and action resources from ChangeX, Climate Generation, Ecochallenge.org, Solutions Journalism Network, and SubjectToClimate, as well as Project Drawdown resources like the Drawdown Labs Job Function Action Guides, Climate Solutions 101 video series, and the Drawdown Solutions Library.

We collaborated with major media platforms to “pass the mic” like never before.

The Weather Channel’s Pattrn streaming TV channel is on a mission to explore, inform, engage, and revel in the patterns of our amazing planet. In 2023, Pattrn added Drawdown’s Neighborhood, a climate solutions short documentary series presented by Project Drawdown centering underrepresented climate heroes, to its regular lineup.

Matt Scott, who created and hosts Drawdown’s Neighborhood, appeared on The Weather Channel to speak with The Pattrn Show’s Stephanie Abrams and Jordan Steele about the significance of the series and the stories it shares.

In addition to our collaboration with The Weather Channel, we worked with Newsweek to publish profiles of some of the interviewees featured in Drawdown’s Neighborhood in the outlet’s Planet Heroes series.

Now, we are prepared to welcome new stories in 2024.

While Drawdown Stories’ storytelling work to date has focused on passing the mic to voices that often go unheard through Drawdown’s Neighborhood, we plan to take things a big step further next year.

In 2024, the Global Solutions Diary will serve as a community-generated library of climate solutions stories, inviting everyday people from around the world to join the conversation by submitting a short video showcasing how they are taking action and making a difference. The Global Solutions Diary will include a virtual interactive map featuring many of the submissions and inviting communities to engage in a conversation that has often only highlighted traditional leaders.

We encourage anyone interested in staying up-to-date on this exciting new endeavor to subscribe to the Project Drawdown newsletter where you will be among the first to have the opportunity to share your drawdown-aligned story and join us as we pass the mic.

Through storytelling, we can build power, shape culture, and change behavior. To do so as widely and equitably as possible, we must diversify the stories we tell, and not only amplify the stories of others but share our own to get our friends, families, and communities on board. In 2024, we look forward to you becoming an even greater part of the stories we tell as we work collectively to stop climate change. 

To support this important work elevating the climate solutions stories that too often go unheard, please consider donating to our end-of-year campaign at drawdown.org/donate.

Lisa Feldman is the senior director of culinary for Sodexo, a multinational food service company that works with institutions like hospitals, college campuses, senior living centers, and company offices. 

When Suzume Soryo* started working as a technical writer at a software company, she jumped immediately into the climate community at her new organization. 

Getting clean, affordable, reliable electricity has always been a challenge for the electric sector. Electrical grids must balance supply and demand almost instantaneously to keep from interrupting service or damaging equipment – and curbing emissions means the game is changing. 

A new Project Drawdown initiative is advancing science and sharing insights at the intersection of food, agriculture, land use, and climate change.

When we think of the causes of climate change, the first thing that comes to mind is often fossil fuel use for electricity production, transportation, or industry.

At the same time, an equally significant, yet far less recognized, contributor to climate change often gets short shrift: the global food system. A whopping 22–33% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from food, agriculture, and land (and ocean) use. 

The new Capital Coalition for philanthropists, impact investors, and their advisors will leverage Project Drawdown’s scientific expertise to guide capital to the most promising solutions.

Private capital has a critical role to play in funding climate solutions. While funders spend billions of dollars annually to stop climate change, many seek more support to ensure their giving and impact investments are focused on the most effective, science-backed strategies. To this end, Project Drawdown has launched the Drawdown Capital Coalition, a new program and community for impact investors, philanthropists, and their advisors that aims to guide billions of dollars in private capital to climate solutions that maximize impact with respect to sector, timing, geography, and benefits for human and environmental well-being. 

“Science shows us where we should focus our efforts and resources to stop the climate crisis,” says Project Drawdown executive director Jonathan Foley, Ph.D. “The Capital Coalition provides an opportunity to rapidly accelerate funding for science-based climate solutions that will safeguard a more just, sustainable, and equitable future.” 

Project Drawdown has specialized in evaluating and identifying critical climate solutions and is now partnering with experts in vetting philanthropic and impact investing opportunities aligned with these solutions. As a result, the Capital Coalition will equip and empower a broad community of funders with the latest climate science, identify critical solutions for reducing emissions, and ultimately inspire more and better investments. It will also spur a new wave of solutions-focused climate funding by providing a foundation for funders across the capital stack – from family foundations to impact investors – to collaborate and share knowledge. 

“Scaling climate solutions requires prioritization, coordination, and collaboration across sometimes siloed scientific and capital realms,” says Drawdown Labs program manager Hannah Henkin. “The Drawdown Capital Coalition and its expert slate of partners will bring together a wide range of funders to explore and chart the best ways to work together to advance critical solutions.” 

Every member of the Capital Coalition will have access to Drawdown Briefings – private, in-depth webinars on the latest in climate science and solutions hosted by Project Drawdown’s world-renowned scientists. Members will also be invited to participate in Drawdown Deep Dives – multi-week, interactive workshops produced in partnership with leading nonprofits like the Climate and Land Use Alliance, Climate Lead, ReFED, and Toniic that will help members better understand the unique and powerful levers at their disposal to scale climate solutions. Project Drawdown continues to explore how our science, communication, and sustainability experts can best support Capital Coalition members in advancing climate solutions.

The Capital Coalition was launched with support from many. For our full list of founding partners, please check out our website at drawdown.org/capital-coalition or see below. 

“As a founding partner of the Drawdown Labs Capital Coalition, we are incredibly proud to be supporting this first-of-its-kind program aiming to bridge the current disconnect between what the science tells us, and where climate investments are going,” says Wayne Bruce, chief communications and DEI officer at Bentley Motors, who is responsible for the Bentley Environmental Foundation.

“At Wana Brands and the Wana Brands Foundation, we're committed to our people and our planet. Investing in programs like the Capital Coalition at Project Drawdown allows us to stay in touch with climate science experts, keep up-to-date with current sustainability trends, and adopt solutions that minimize our environmental impact,” says senior community impact manager Kaylyn Fern. “Our friends at Project Drawdown have been instrumental to our climate action plan success as we navigate the nuances of sustainability in the cannabis industry.” 

“As emissions continue to rise globally, simply investing is not enough,” says Dario Parziale, managing director at Toniic, a community of impact investors. “Investors must focus on the most effective solutions to cut emissions as rapidly as possible. Toniic members’ contribution to the Capital Coalition is a powerful example of how collective action can amplify science-based climate investments and push for significant, rapid advancements in climate action.” 

Support was also provided by: 

• Anne and Don Bice Climate Fund
• Anne Hale and Arthur W. Johnson Fund
• Caldwell Fisher Family Foundation
• Consilium Capital
• Deer Dancer Impact Fund
• Excelsior Impact Fund
• Gratitude Fund 
• Joseph and Vera Long Foundation
• Seabright Ventures Fund
• Spectrum Impact
• Studio Kakapo
• Xancharlize Fund

The Capital Coalition is designed for impact investors, philanthropists, and their advisors deploying or planning to deploy at least US$50,000 per year toward climate change solutions.

Membership is by invitation and may include:

• foundations, family offices, individual donors, and their advisors 
• accredited impact investors and their advisors
• impact investment firms and asset managers
• philanthropic or impacting investing networks or service providers.

Please reach out if you or your organization are interested in learning more.

Project Drawdown is pleased to announce the election of Stephan Nicoleau, partner and managing director at the impact investment firm FullCycle, as its next board chair. 

Nicoleau, an investor, advisor, and founder with nearly two decades of experience in social and environmental impact, rises to board chair during an exciting time for Project Drawdown. 

“All of us at Project Drawdown congratulate Stephan on being elected board chair,” says Project Drawdown executive director Jonathan Foley, Ph.D. “Since joining the board in 2021, Stephan has been more than generous with his time and expertise on climate solutions, particularly those around reducing methane emissions. We look forward to his continued leadership as board chair as together we work to stop climate change as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.” 

“Our collective response to climate change is mostly an exercise of implementing and scaling solutions as effectively as possible. Making policy, investment, and infrastructure decisions based in science is critically important,” Nicoleau says. “Project Drawdown has been at the forefront of a science-based approach to climate solutions for nearly a decade, and I’m thrilled and honored to have been elected chair of the board during this pivotal moment of our growth and the larger global effort to stabilize the climate.” 

Project Drawdown is also thrilled to announce the re-election of Jennifer Caldwell, president of the Caldwell Fisher Family Foundation, as board secretary. Among other achievements, Caldwell has been instrumental in the launch and success of the Drawdown Capital Coalition, which aims to guide private capital to strategic, science-based climate solutions.

“It’s critical that we do all that we can to champion climate solutions informed by science and Project Drawdown provides that,” Caldwell says. “Through our Capital Coalition, we invite funders to join us in building funding portfolios that meet their philanthropic as well as professional climate goals.”

Lastly, Project Drawdown and its Board of Directors would like to extend a warm thank you to Brad Palmer, the outgoing board chair, for all of his hard work on behalf of the organization. During Palmer’s tenure, Project Drawdown experienced tremendous growth, building a world-class science team while expanding the scope and impact of the organization’s programs. 

To learn more about Project Drawdown, visit drawdown.org. 

This spring, six researchers set out on an exciting new task: to develop the next generation of the Drawdown Climate Solutions with the goal of bringing the latest, most effective, science-based climate solutions to the world. 

Chosen from more than 600 applicants, the new Project Drawdown research fellows will spend the next nine months identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing the latest science from around the world to chart the best path forward for stopping climate change as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.

“This group exceeded our hopes for the level of expertise and commitment to research integrity that we wanted for our new research fellows,” says Project Drawdown senior scientist Amanda Smith, Ph.D., who is leading the initiative. “Each fellow came to us with impressive research accomplishments of their own, and they have already demonstrated how thoughtfully they approach these assessments of climate solutions.”

Project Drawdown is thrilled to announce a US$300,000 grant, to be awarded over three years, from the Gerald L. Lennard Foundation. 

This latest award from the long-time supporter will go toward Project Drawdown’s storytelling and private capital engagement programs, allowing each to better empower their audiences to help stop climate change as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible. 

“Storytelling is an essential tool for instilling hope and inspiring action in response to climate change,” says Project Drawdown Director of Storytelling and Engagement Matt Scott. “We are so grateful for the continued support of the Gerald L. Lennard Foundation as we evolve and deepen the reach, influence, and impact of Drawdown Stories through exciting new projects like the Global Solutions Diary, ”

 “We launched the Drawdown Capital Coalition to connect funders and private sector partners with the most urgently needed climate solutions,” says Capital Coalition Manager Hannah Henkin. “This incredibly generous support from the Gerald L. Lennard Foundation will help us better serve our members as we seek to close the gap between which solutions are most important and which are best funded.” 

“The Gerald L. Lennard Foundation is pleased to join a community learning together to shape current challenges into opportunities for a sustainable future,” says Donna Lennard, a director of the Gerald L. Lennard Foundation. “We are inspired by Project Drawdown's expertise and optimism.”

For more information about Project Drawdown, Drawdown Stories, of the Drawdown Capital Coalition, please visit www.drawdown.org. 

The global food system takes up 38% of Earth’s land surface and is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gases generated by humans. Can we feed people without destroying the planet?

Yes, says Project Drawdown executive director Jonathan Foley. 

In this compelling TED Countdown Dilemma Series presentation, Foley shares four key strategies for reducing the food system’s climate impact: boost efficiency by cutting food waste and changing diets, protect ecosystems, improve farming methods, and improve the rest of the food system. Along with efforts to restore natural ecosystems and enhance agriculture’s ability to sequester carbon, these approaches can make it possible to alleviate hunger and halt climate change at the same time.