SJM Concerts has donated a six-figure sum, per year for a three year commitment to climate change charity ClientEarth.
ClientEarth chief executive James Thornton said: “We are honoured and humbled by this extremely generous gift, which will allow us to deepen and extend our work tackling climate change around the world. ClientEarth relies on the generosity of donations like this, and SJM Concerts’ investment strengthens our ability to hold governments and big business to account.
“This is an incredible gift and contribution to our work, but is also a great symbol to the rest of the music industry, which we know is deeply concerned by the climate emergency and exploring ways to help.”
ClientEarth was Europe’s first environmental law charity, and now has offices in London, Warsaw, Brussels, Berlin, Beijing and Los Angeles. It helps governments write good environmental law, makes sure those laws are properly implemented, and goes to court when they are broken.
Since ClientEarth opened its doors in 2007, it has challenged the building of all new coal-fired power stations in Europe – none have opened in the last 13 years. It is currently suing the British government over plans to create Europe’s largest gas plant, despite government advisors saying it should be rejected on climate grounds. Further afield, ClientEarth lawyers are helping indigenous Australians bring a world-first case against their government, using human rights law to force action over climate change.
ClientEarth also fights for nature, because protecting biodiversity and stopping climate change go hand in hand. Their lawyers prevented illegal logging in Europe’s last primeval forest by asking the European Commission to step in – it handed down record-breaking fines of €100,000 a day, and logging stopped immediately. Toxic chemicals, unsustainable fishing and lack of access to justice are also a major focus for the legal charity, which has almost 170 staff around the world.
It has deep links to the music industry thanks to long-term support from Brian Eno and Coldplay. Last year, David Gilmour auctioned more than 100 guitars from his private collection, and donated all the proceeds to ClientEarth.
