Conservation charities

Animal conservation

The WWF is the world’s leading independent environmental organisation, active in over 100 countries. The charity draws attention to the global threats surrounding people and nature, such as climate change, endangered species and habitats, and the unsustainable consumption of natural resources. WWF ambassadors include Sir David Attenborough, Terry Waite and Miranda Richardson.

The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity that works to keep animals in the wild and phase out zoos. The foundation aims to heighten awareness and change public attitudes through high-profile campaigns and
working with local communities. Celebrity supporters include Joanna Lumley OBE, Graham Norton, and Nick Knowles.

The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal) is a charity that promotes animal welfare in England and Wales. The RSPCA is most commonly known for its inspectors, who rescue and house neglected, injured and homeless animals. The charity has lobbied parliament as far back as the 19th century and has helped bring about a number of changes in animal welfare legislation.

Care for the Wild CWI) is an animal welfare and conservation charity. The CWI works to protect wild areas from poachers, rehabilitate sick and injured animals, and provide aid rescue centres for animals that can’t be returned to the wild.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) works with communities, governments, and like-minded organisations to promote animal welfare. The IFAW’s primary campaigns are fighting illegal wildlife trade, providing emergency relief from natural disasters and heightening awareness through its Animal Action Week.

The environment

Greenpeace is an international non-governmental organisation for the protection and conservation of the environment. Through a wide-range of public campaigns Greenpeace investigates, exposes, and confronts avoidable environmental deterioration, caused by governments and corporations around the world.

Friends of the Earth is a non-governmental organisation that aims to find solutions to environmental problems by lobbying governments to change policies in favour of the environment. Their campaigns include climate change, corporate accountability, genetically modified organisms (GMO), and global trade.

Earthwatch Institute is a non-profit organisation that helps promote awareness of the environment through scientific research, including wildlife conservation, rainforest ecology, marine science and archaeology. The organisation uses its research to lobby companies and government to improve their environmental performance.

Green Alliance is a charity and think tank working on environmental policy with the UK government, businesses and other non-governmental organisations. Green Alliance works to integrate the environment into public policy, but communicating their environmental research to senior decision makers.

The Conservation Foundation is a UK-based environmental charity, which works with local communities to promote the awareness of sustainability. The Conservation Foundation looks at simple, cost-effective ways for communities to conserve their environment.

Human rights

The British Red Cross is a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis. The organisation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world’s largest impartial humanitarian organisation. The British Red Cross is committed to helping people without discrimination, regardless of their ethnic origin, nationality or religion.

Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation that campaigns for the protection of human rights. The organisation promotes awareness of human rights violations through public events and fundraising activities.

Oxfam International is a network of organisations working across more than 100 countries to fight poverty and injustice. Although Oxfam's primary concern has historically been the provision of food to relieve famine, Oxfam also works on fair trade, education, debt and aid, health, gender equality, conflict and natural disasters, democracy and human rights, and climate change.

People & Planet (P&P) is a network of student campaign groups in the UK. The organisation’s campaign issues include poverty, human rights and the environment. P&P raise awareness about these issues by organising speakers, debates, quizzes, and demonstrations at colleges and universities across the UK.

Forest conservation

The Rainforest Foundation is a UK charity that campaigns for the preservation of the rainforest and the rights of the indigenous people living there. The charity was founded in 1989 by the musician Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, and currently supports projects in more than 20 countries.

The Woodland Trust is a UK conservation charity. The charity works with the government, landowners and like-minded organisations to conserve and protect native woodland. The president of the Woodland Trust is currently the comedian Clive Anderson.

The Prince's Rainforest Project (PRP) was set up by the Prince of Wales in 2007. The project works with governments, business, NGOs and individuals to increase the global recognition of the contribution of tropical deforestation to climate change.

Trees for Cities is a UK charity that works with local communities on tree-planting and landscaping projects. They aim to tackle global warming by planting trees in cities, that in turn helps educate communities.

Renewable energy

The National Energy Foundation is a UK charity that encourages businesses and communities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by being more efficient with their energy use and switching to sustainable energy sources. It aims to bring down UK emissions to 60% of the current amount by 2050.

The Renewable Energy Foundation is a charity that promotes the development of sustainable energy sources. The foundation argues that the benefits of renewable energy are being played down by the government, and their response to this is to sponsor research in consumer-friendly, cost-effective renewable energy and energy conservation.

The Centre for Alternative Technology is an eco-centre that conducts research and holds courses on general environmentalism. Their visitor centre includes interactive displays that demonstrate how energy is generated and used, offering practical, everyday solutions for saving energy.

SolarAid is an international development charity that promotes the use of solar energy to help reduce global poverty and fight climate change. The charity works by installing solar panels for community centers, medical clinics, schools and other communal buildings. It also trains local communities in DIY solar maintenance.