Last week Karen and I were lucky enough to be invited to take two clients to the House of Lords for afternoon tea by the Global Returns Project.
Bethan and I at the House of Lords on a stunning day in London. Prosecco? Well ok then 🥂😊
Lord Zac Goldsmith hosted an afternoon tea at the House of Lords with the Global Returns Project, where he spoke about the fundamental role climate and nature play in our world.
They underpin everything: our health, our food, and our water. Quite simply, we rely on nature for the basic elements of our survival.
However, the UK’s aid budget is decreasing as government spending is redirected towards other priorities. Environmental protection has traditionally been supported through aid funding, including programmes that protect biodiversity, tackle climate change, and support vulnerable communities around the world.
One such programme is the Darwin Initiative, a UK government grant scheme that supports low- and middle-income countries to conserve biodiversity, reduce poverty, and address climate change. Unfortunately, this initiative is now closed to new applications. Another major programme, the Blue Planet Fund, supports developing countries to protect the marine environment, reduce poverty, protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030, and stop plastic pollution entering the ocean.
With this funding rapidly decreasing, Lord Goldsmith emphasised that philanthropy is now needed more than ever.
The urgency is clear. In 2024, 8.1 million hectares of forest were lost, coral reefs suffered unprecedented bleaching, and the world breached the 1.5°C warming threshold for the first time — just ten years after the Paris Agreement was signed to keep temperatures below that critical level.
Lord Goldsmith spoke about the important work of the Global Returns Project and how pleased he is to support their mission.
The Global Returns Project (GRP) identifies and supports charities that are making the greatest impact on protecting the planet, ensuring that charitable donations achieve as much environmental impact as possible. Importantly, GRP passes 100% of donations directly to its selected charities, which currently include:
- Blue Marine Foundation
- ClientEarth
- Global Canopy
- Rainforest Trust
- Trillion Trees
- Rainforest Alliance
The Global Returns Project is aiming to reach £1 million by 31 March 2026, and donations of any size can help them reach this goal.
While many people make one-off donations, monthly giving can often feel more manageable and allows you to contribute consistently throughout the year, creating a lasting impact over time.
Blueberry Financial makes annual contributions to the Global Returns Project as we love what they do.
Please can you help too?
Phil and I in the Cholmondeley Room. We did stay an extra few minutes to help finish off the cakes.
