A majority of Americans believe climate change is real and that something should be done to address it. But when it comes time to step up and put their money where their mouths are, it seems lots of people struggle to prioritize the planet and get cash into the hands of organizations that do the most to combat climate change. According to a report from sustainability research organization Carbon Switch, just a fraction of donations made by Americans are going to charities that will actually help to address the climate crisis.
The research found that on the whole, the environment still ranks pretty low on the priorities list for most folks living in the United States. Of the $471 billion in charitable donations made by Americans in 2020, just $8 billion of that (about 2%) went to environmental nonprofits. By contrast, religious organizations received the bulk of 2020 contributions, amassing nearly 30% of all donations.
