Mission
Empower local communities to fight global warming by protecting and restoring nature
We give the people and organizations driving local land-use decisions easy-to-use tools to safeguard high-priority ecosystems in the places they live and love.
Vision
Scale our collective impact to globally significant levels, harnessing the power of nature, people, and technology
By linking the compounding benefits of natural regeneration to exponential advances in technology and a community of climate actionists, we can achieve globally significant results long before many of our most promising man-made climate solutions get to scale.
How we are different
We fight global warming from the ground up by keeping our forests, soils, and wetlands healthy and intact
Most climate organizations focus on reducing man-made greenhouse gas emissions from the top down, which is critical. We focus on rapidly scaling up nature-based climate solutions from the bottom up, which is even more urgent.
Our values
The Copernicus Project is a values-led company that puts nature at the center of solving global warming
- Facts first To the best of our ability, the information we share is based on the latest science, empirical evidence, and deep expertise. Before forming an opinion, we look at the data and actively seek out subject matter experts. We are not afraid to express our points of view, even if they contradict mainstream orthodoxy.
- Tangible resultsWe strive to rigorously measure our collective performance and track our impact over long periods of time. Using state-of-the-art analytics and science, we can model the effects of various interventions and design our programs accordingly. We try to learn from the very best to continuously raise the bar on the art of the possible.
- Put nature at the center of fighting global warmingProtecting, restoring, and better managing the natural world is fundamental to saving our planet and all who live on it. We educate and empower local people to significantly improve the long-term ecological health of the places they live and love. We give them cutting-edge tools and the expertise to design, execute, and measure the impact of natural climate initiatives.
- Climate ActionistsClimate change is the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. We are in a planetary emergency getting worse by the day. We need to act with urgency and focus to have an impact at globally relevant scales. Our superpower is passionate people who wake up every day striving to increase our collective impact at lightning speed. We challenge each other to get smarter, learn faster, recruit more talent, and innovate new solutions.
- Passionate people aligned around a common purpose Our success depends on bringing groups of people together around a shared purpose. Doing so requires a trust-based, collegial environment where everyone feels welcome and supported. We work in red states, blue states, purple states, and everything in between. We are staunchly apolitical and non-confrontational.
- Listen, learn, then lead the way In many places, there are widely differing opinions on how land and natural resources should be used. We need to acknowledge these points of view yet stay focused on protecting and restoring nature and the ecosystems that provide clean air and water, food, jobs, wildlife, and a healthy, livable environment. This benefits everyone, regardless of their personal views.
- High-integrity partners We try to ensure the organizations we work with have well-established track records and are leaders in their fields. We work with organizations large and small across all sectors of society. This means engaging companies in extractive industries, some of which may generate significant greenhouse gas emissions or cause environmental damage. We strive to work with organizations seriously committed to reducing their environmental footprint. We expect them to act in good faith and, in return, we agree to work with them in a constructive, respectful way.
- Diversity is our strength The Copernicus community includes people from different socioeconomic groups, backgrounds, races, religions, ages, sexual preferences, gender identities, and political persuasions. Vigorous debate and expression of different points of view are essential, but all members of our community must treat each other with dignity and respect, or we will ask them to leave.
- Work hard but have funWe are a small, fast-moving startup where everyone rolls up their shirtsleeves and pitches in. Our members contribute in many ways, large and small. We need software engineers, climate designers, storytellers, scientists, sportsmen, businesses, nonprofits, artists, influencers, educators, and policymakers. We encourage our members to suggest new ways to make our community as vibrant and energized as possible.
- Relish the benefits of being in natureScience overwhelmingly shows that people live longer, are less susceptible to disease, and are mentally and emotionally healthier by spending time in nature. Whether it’s your backyard, an urban park or an old-growth forest hundreds of years old. Get outside and make a difference! You’ll be glad you did.