Climate Change and Circular Economy
3M fosters sustainable communities and addresses environmental inequities through our philanthropy and volunteerism in alignment to 3M’s Sustainability Framework – Science for Climate and Science for Circular.
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Forests play a crucial role not only in mitigating climate change but also in providing economic security for landowners. 3M has partnered with the American Forest Foundation (AFF) to support the Family Forest Carbon Program. This program assists families and individual landowners in managing their land to enhance forest health and increase carbon sequestration. By participating in this program, landowners can address climate change while also earning income.
Learn more about 3M’s commitment to sustainable forestry.
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Access to recycling services means healthier neighborhoods and greater emission reduction through proper waste management. Historically, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities haven’t had adequate access to these services. With funding from 3M and other stakeholders, The Recycling Partnership looks to change this through its Recycling Inclusion Fund – focusing on three key areas:
- Research to identify the state of recycling access and participation, barriers and needs in BIPOC communities across the U.S.
- Infrastructure and education improvements to reach and empower BIPOC populations with recycling access and resources that meet their needs.
- Leadership and training opportunities in the sustainability sector granted through the Fellowship through Partnership program for recent BIPOC college graduates.
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Whether it’s healthcare services, education, or livelihoods – basic needs are best met with access to electricity. By meeting these needs with renewable energy, we can reduce emissions, help communities breathe cleaner air and close the energy access gap. 3M partners with World Resources Institute on their Energy Access Explorer program, an online, open-source, interactive, geospatial data platform that enables clean energy entrepreneurs, energy planners, donors, and development-oriented institutions to identify priority areas where energy access can be expanded and linked to socio-economic development.
3M’s funding focuses on extending affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity to power development across unserved and underserved populations and institutions in Kenya and India.
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Plastic Bank builds recycling ecosystems in under-developed communities in an effort to fight both plastic pollution in oceans, as well as high poverty levels. Through its regenerative economy approach, Plastic Bank creates pathways out of poverty for vulnerable communities while stopping plastic from entering the world’s oceans. Through 3M’s partnership, more than 188,000 kg of ocean-bound plastic was collected from the coastal region of Brazil.
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We support conservation and land management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resiliency across our communities.
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From automotive electrification to renewable energy infrastructure, we work with organizations leading the transition to sustainable energy for all.
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We look to support the circular economy transition by increasing access to recycling infrastructure in underserved communities and supporting waste collectors' livelihoods.
Partner Highlights
Tackling climate change and advancing circularity is a team effort. 3M is proud to partner with organizations who are leading the way to address environmental inequities and share our vision of a sustainable future for all.
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Without action, climate change will continue to harm our communities through extreme weather events, air pollution, and rising sea levels. But these consequences aren’t felt unilaterally, with disadvantaged communities and communities of color bearing the greatest burden. To elevate and begin to address the needs of communities, 3M has partnered with Forum for the Future and their American Climate Futures program – a national program that works to ensure the needs and voices of those most impacted by climate change in the US are at the forefront of goal setting, planning, and solutions development.
