EarthFund Global‘s ambitious plan to finance and accelerate national transitions to renewable energy is starting in Greece, where we spoke with founder Alysia Helming. A veteran of the U.S. renewable energy industry, she founded Santa Monica, Calif.-based EarthFund Global in collaboration with Green Cross International as a nonprofit in March 2020 to attempt to meet the challenge of making renewable energy widely available by 2030. In September, Helming’s team announced its Greek project, where the team found a country committed to moving 35% of its energy generation to wind and solar this decade. EarthFund, the Greek and European Union governments, NGOs, and private enterprise will collaborate to create new jobs and economically equitable projects that help the population into the green era.
“We believe that true change starts with communities and individuals,” the organization states. “[W]e at EarthFund have made communities our primary focus.” Their most ambitious goal is to eliminate the need for coal-fired electricity plants by 2028. Starting with one nation, Greece, as an example, they plan to work in the EU in support of its Green Deal and goal to be climate neutral by 2050 across all sectors of society.
Earth911 talks with Alysia Helming about why a nonprofit was the right tool for funding energy transitions, the role of female entrepreneurs in the climate fight, and how individuals can get involved and support EarthFund projects. “We believe that true change starts with communities and individuals,” the organization states. Do you want to support their work? EarthFund Global accepts individual donations.
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