The Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) has been identified as a significant source of funding for radical environmental organizations across the globe.
Onward Together, Hillary Clinton’s political campaign that failed to secure victory, made a substantial contribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Los Angeles-based CEF. The donation, disclosed in the group’s recent tax filings, amounted to $300,000 between April 2021 and March 2022. This substantial sum constituted approximately one-third of Onward Together’s total support for progressive organizations that year. Although Clinton’s foundation was commended by the CEF in their 2022 annual report for going “above and beyond,” the exact amount of the donation remained undisclosed.
The CEF allocates its funds to far-left groups that participate in disruptive protests, aiming to draw attention to the perceived urgent threat of a rapidly warming planet on the brink of devastation without radical reforms.
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Margaret Klein Salamon, the executive director of CEF, highlighted the dichotomy between scientific warnings of an impending point of no return and the lack of significant action by institutions. Salamon argued that activists take matters into their own hands, emphasizing the gravity of the climate crisis and the necessity for drastic measures.
Millions of dollars from the CEF have been directed towards supporting extreme groups that engage in disruptive activities during protests, resulting in numerous news articles. The CEF’s annual report outlines their financial support, including $5 million donated to 44 different groups. Examples of their backing include the endorsement of young activists protesting against Senator Joe Manchin at a coal plant, support for a NASA scientist who chained himself to a Chase Bank to raise awareness of the climate emergency, and assistance to bold activists protesting at major sporting events and museums.
The CEF’s reach extends beyond the nation’s capital, as evidenced by the involvement of the climate protest organization Climate Defiance, backed by the CEF, in shutting down streets in Washington, DC. The group also boasts members and supporters in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Minnesota, in addition to the capital.
Among the CEF’s grantees are Just Stop Oil and Declare Emergency, both based in the United Kingdom. The A22 Network, which includes organizations from multiple countries, including Canada, France, and Germany, is also part of the CEF’s network.
Protests led by Just Stop Oil in London have involved members spilling tomato soup on a valuable Vincent van Gogh painting to highlight their belief in the collapse of civil society. The group argues that the preservation of art depends on the art establishment, artists, and art enthusiasts taking a stand through civil resistance.
CEF enjoys support from liberal celebrities and left-leaning foundations, with actors Jeremy Strong and Thomas Middleditch, along with philanthropic entities associated with Democratic benefactors, reported to have contributed to the fund.
At the time of writing, Onward Together had not responded to a request for comment.