The Philanthropy Summit was co-hosted by IUCN and Erth Zayed Philanthropies, in partnership with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chair of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council and Chair of Erth Zayed Philanthropies.
As biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution accelerate globally, philanthropy has a vital role to play in supporting and accelerating the transition to a just, nature-positive society.
"The inaugural IUCN Philanthropy Summit has laid the groundwork for stronger collaboration and new alliances among like-minded philanthropists. This marks the beginning of a new chapter - one where philanthropy helps shape the future of conservation and fosters a nature-positive, climate-resilient world for generations to come," said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General.
The Summit explored the value of cross-sectoral partnerships, engaging governments, the private sector, local communities, youth, and Indigenous knowledge holders around the world. It highlighted how philanthropy can accelerate collaboration between diverse actors.
Participants discussed the potential for philanthropy to provide innovative finance solutions by providing flexible funding. They looked at best practices, including the role of next-generation leaders and the value of regional hubs to foster knowledge-sharing tailored to local contexts.
A panel discussed the fact that corporations are increasingly expected to go beyond compliance by aligning their core business values with their philanthropic ambitions. Corporate philanthropy can not only close gaps in conservation finance but also help redefine business models, and ultimately what it means for companies to create shared value for society, the environment, and their stakeholders.
The Summit also highlighted the power of philanthropy to help scale up conservation. By enabling the piloting of new technology, philanthropy supports its transformative potential to scale efforts ethically and inclusively—from AI-driven monitoring to open data platforms that empower communities and enhance transparency.
A round table at the Summit underlined the importance of trust-based philanthropy for conservation. By shifting from control to partnership between donors and grantees, it encourages long-term projects, streamlined reporting, and relationships built on mutual respect. Trust-based philanthropy has strong potential to enable effective, focused project delivery, with agile governance and resilient outcomes.