Protecting wild places Empowering local communities Building global partnerships
2009–2010 Annual Report
from the executive director
Arctic
Positive change is addicting. Once you have a taste for it, it’s
Alaska
impossible to return to indifference and inaction. At Pacific Environment, positive change is a way of life. As the world around us takes a turn for the worse—with climate change impacts mounting, oil spills ravaging our waters, and political divisions undercutting the momentum for the environment that we enjoyed in 2009—Pacific Environment forges ahead, standing behind communities to fight for
Kamchatka
positive change. After spending a few months away from the organization earlier this
Lake Baikal
year, I’ve returned refreshed, with a clearer view of just how unique—and uniquely effective—Pacific Environment is. Our
Sakhalin
Altai
overhead is small, our vision clear, and our programs serious business. We understand that this work is a privilege. We take nothing—neither your support nor our relationships with our partners—for granted. Together, we’re defending the Pacific Rim’s natural treasures and
China
forgotten communities. We are protecting Arctic communities from offshore oil and gas development, holding public banks accountable
California
Our vision is simple: Marine Sanctuaries Local people around the Pacific Rim are the best hope for protecting our environment over the long term. Investing in the capacity of community-based environmental activists is how we create a sustainable future for the Pacific Rim and for our planet. Our results speak for themselves. In short, we get stuff done. With a
protecting the Pacific Rim’s shared treasures lies with local people, with
small staff scattered over a huge geography, we maximize a small
those most affected by reckless exploitation. This is why our conservation
budget to build coalitions and partnerships that have an even greater
strategy has proven effective time and again.
for how taxpayer dollars are spent abroad, monitoring climate change
impact. For over 23 years Pacific Environment has taken a
impacts on Pacific walrus, and improving public health in Chinese
community-first approach to solving the world’s most challenging environmental problems.
villages impacted by water pollution from nearby factories. Without further ado, it’s my pleasure to share with you our favorite stories and victories from the last year… Sincerely,
Leah Zimmerman Interim Executive Director
protection and social change around the Pacific Rim. With our grassroots partners, we’ve preserved millions of acres of forests, conserved pristine
Governments and corporations are drilling further and cutting deeper as
watersheds, and protected threatened species such as the bowhead whale
communities struggle for clean water to drink, healthy fish to feed their
and Amur leopard. We’ve forced oil, gas, and mining companies to apply
families, and fresh air to breathe. Fisheries are risking depletion, oil
higher standards to resource extraction. Most importantly, we’ve supported
extraction projects threaten delicate ecosystems, and chemicals are
local communities—the people most dedicated to long-term
quickly destroying waterways. Left unchecked, these reckless and
environmental protection—to shape their environmental future.
unsustainable practices will devastate livelihoods and ecosystems.
Pacific Environment protects the living environment of the Pacific Rim by promoting grassroots activism, strengthening communities, and reforming international policies
Pacific Environment has become a powerhouse of environmental
Worse yet, the stakeholders with the most intimate knowledge of the land are left out of the decision-making process. We believe the key to
alaska
china
In Alaska we strengthened and expanded community partnerships throughout the northern Arctic. We make a point to spend time in communities while also walking the halls of power, bringing community voices to Washington, DC, and to the Arctic Council. Together with our partners, we:
2009 marked a year of turbulence for China’s environment. We saw the worst ever oil spill in Dalian, on China’s east coast; a devastating industrial sewage spill in Fujian province that released thousands of tons of toxic chemicals into the waterways; and a horrific mudslide allegedly caused by excessive deforestation, that buried thousands in Gansu Province. China’s environment and people continue to suffer from shortsighted economic development projects prioritized before environmental protection. Through this turmoil, we supported our grassroots partners as they fought for change.
• Protected critical habitat for bowhead whales, polar bears, walrus, and other Arctic species by blocking offshore oil and gas development, standing firm with a coalition of indigenous leaders, lawyers, scientists, and environmental organizations. • Mitigated impacts from seismic testing and drilling, protecting whales and communities. We’ve successfully advocated for some of the most stringent mitigation measures ever applied to seismic testing.
• In Liangjiawan, Gansu Province, our partner Green Camel Bell secured clean drinking water for a rural village that had been plagued by water pollution for over a decade, pollution that was caused by the damming of a local river.
• Promoted safe shipping in the Arctic. Currently 6,000 vessels make their way through Arctic waters, many making multiple voyages. These vessels dump waste that washes ashore near communities, impact whales, and pollute the air with emissions. We’ve educated communities and brought their concerns to the International Maritime Organization. As climate change impacts are amplified in the Arctic and sea ice recedes, wildlife will be negatively impacted and shipping traffic will continue to increase. We will not relent until safe shipping measures are adopted for the Arctic.
• Our Water Network audited polluting factories, initiating public outreach and independent investigations to clean up China’s dirtiest industries.
We support the emerging Chinese and Russian environmental movements by offering stable financial support; partnering in the development of effective public participation, legal, advocacy, andmonitoring strategies; and connecting our grassroots partners with international organizations and experts to augment ongoing campaign work.
• Together with the Green Choice Alliance, we pressured companies such as Apple, IBM, and Intel to clean up their polluting supply chains in China. Our letter-writing campaigns in China and the US garnered over a thousand letters to Steve Jobs alone, and forced 29 companies to heed our concerns.
photo Ellis Doeven
photo Xiu Min Li
photo Dean Biggins
california energy Thanks to Pacific Environment’s work and partnership with the Ratepayers for Affordable Clean Energy coalition, there is only one remaining proposal for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the West Coast. In short, after fighting LNG terminals for years, our success allowed us to pivot our work from fighting against imported fossil fuel to fighting for green jobs in California. Together with our partners, we’re making sure California keeps its clean energy policy. This year we: • Published the “Green Opportunity” report, detailing how California can shut down its fleet of 17 aging natural gas power plants and cost-effectively replace them with renewable energy sources.
“You organized and conducted an outstanding event. Congratulations and thank you for your tremendous effort and result.” —Craig Lewis, FiT Coalition (on the conference, “Feed-in Tariffs: A Time for Real Action on Renewable Energy”)
• Advocated for huge investments in locally-sited renewable energy projects with our burgeoning “Put it in Our Backyard” campaign. We organized two major conferences on the subject, one with the Local Clean Energy Alliance of the Bay Area, and another focused on Feed-in Tariffs. • Fought to stop PG&E’s LNG import project proposed for Southern Oregon. We now have an on-the-ground organizer who is working with local landowners to oppose the project. Because of efforts from grassroots groups all over Oregon, much of the state’s leadership—including the governor—now opposes the project.
photo Jackie Dragon
marine sanctuaries We covered miles of ocean this past year, raising awareness of shipping’s multiple impacts on our priceless marine environment. We must stop deadly ship strikes to whales, protect our marine sanctuaries from noises that mask the sounds whales depend on to survive, and protect the Bay from devastating oil spills. This year, we’ve made significant progress: • We created a Joint Working Group of the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank Advisory Council to investigate shipping impacts on our sanctuaries. We created this working group through steady advocacy at California’s four National Marine Sanctuaries, with the goal of assembling stakeholders and scientific experts to mitigate threats to whales and their habitat. Program Director Jackie Dragon was also sworn in to the Conservation Alternate seat on the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary Advisory Council. • We joined Marin County Assemblyman Jared Huffman to sponsor AB 234, a bill aimed at protecting our waters from oil spills during ship transfers and fueling. We shepherded the bill successfully through California’s legislature only to see it quashed by the Governor’s veto pen. Our e fforts, though, have ignited an agency review of refueling regulations, to result in increased protections.
Speed Matters! National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists say that the faster ships travel, the more likely they are to collide with and kill endangered whales. Ships are safer for whales when they travel at a moderate speed of 10 knots or less.
In 2009, the U.S. Export-Import Bank provided 2.56 billion dollars for harmful fossil fuel projects, which is about 25 times the amount the bank provided to renewable energy projects.
responsible finance
financial report
Our Responsible Finance Program is at the forefront of international bank reform, holding international finance institutions accountable for harmful extractive projects that threaten local communities and the environment. Protecting the way your tax dollars are used abroad, we:
Support & Revenue 2009–2010
• Strengthened the environmental policies of the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), including by closing harmful loopholes for financial intermediaries and climate change policies. These changes make OPIC’s policies some of the strongest of any public bank in the world.
Program Service Fees
Contributions
1%
Investment & Other Income
8%
• Exposed the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s (a U.S. government finance agency) record-breaking $3 billion in financing for an ExxonMobil fossil project in Papua New Guinea just as climate talks opened in Copenhagen.
<1%
• Increased public scrutiny of the failed climate change policies of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, securing press coverage in Business Week, Newsweek, New York Times, Environmental Finance, and on National Public Radio.
russia Environmental catastrophes like the Gulf oil spill and this summer’s devastating fires near Moscow have given eastern Russia’s environmental groups new impetus to oppose the rapid development of oil and gas, mineral, timber, and ocean resources. Pacific Environment continues to bolster these organizations’ efforts by providing direct support, engaging in joint advocacy, and building local, national, and international coalitions. Here are a few highlights from our work: photo Zov Taigi
• We supported over 20 groups with over $600,000 in subgrants to support grassroots conservation projects and campaigns. • In Kamchatka, our partners demanded that the oil and gas company Gazflot employ internationally accepted best practices when conducting seismic testing and drilling exploratory wells on the Western Kamchatka Shelf. • We worked with Microsoft and the media to defend Baikal Environmental Wave from extreme government pressure, applied under the false pretense of cracking down on pirated software. • The Geblerov Society won an important victory in court to prevent logging companies from exploiting protected forests in Altai.
Statement of Financial Activity April 1 to March 31
90% Grants
90%
Grants 2,410,946
8%
Contributions 224,405
1%
Program Service Fees 35,000
<1%
Investment & Other Income 5,662
100%
Total Support & Revenue 2,676,013
Expenses 2009–2010 Management and General Grants to Partner Organizations
9% 28%
Fund Development
6%
2008–2009
2,410,946
1,915,067
34,397 2,376,549
224,405
296,598
94,366 130,039
35,000 28,655 (2,559) 0 13,963 (34,397)
14,700 17,994 1,244 (1,771) 0 0
TOTAL REVENUES AND OTHER SUPPORT
2,676,013
2,243,832
EXPENSES Programs and Campaigns Grants to Partner Organizations Total Program Services
1,655,226 807,500 2,462,726
1,600,496 419,238 2,019,734
265,406 166,367
236,044 164,835
TOTAL EXPENSES
2,894,499
2,420,613
NET INCOME
(218,486)
(176,781)
2,672,333 621,126 33,107 1,242,413 1,202,451 37,511 30,197 18,000 (51,080) (117,202) (344,100)
2,890,819 289,996 5,953 1,547,566 1,232,829 42,988 32,780 17,478 (42,172) (126,099) (201,500)
2,672,333
2,890,819
Management and General Fund Development
9%
Management and General 265,406
Net Assets on March 31 Cash Assets Accounts Receivable Short-term Investments Grants Receivable Prepaid Expenses Net Property and Equipment Deposits Less: Accounts Payable Accrued Expense Partner Grants Payable
6%
Fund Development 166,367
TOTAL NET ASSETS
Total Expenses 2,894,499
Report based on 2009–2010 and 2008–2009 audited financial statements. Visit www.pacificenvironment.org/annualreport for an electronic copy of this report.
57%
Programs and Campaigns
In many remote areas of Russia, local residents are embracing solar power as a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to expensive diesel generators.
REVENUE AND OTHER SUPPORT Total Grants Unrestricted Temporarily Restricted Total Contributions Unrestricted Temporarily Restricted Program Service Fees Interest and Dividend Income Gains (Losses) on Market Value of Investments (Loss) on Disposal of Equipment Other Income Foreign Exchange
2009–2010
57%
Programs and Campaigns 1,655,226
28%
Grants to Partner Organizations 807,500
100%
STAFF Galina Angarova Russia Program Associate (Community) Nicole Catalano Communications Manager Rory Cox California Energy Program Director Jackie Dragon Marine Sanctuaries Program Director Mazie Fitzgerald Executive Assistant Igor Goldfarb Consultant, Kamchatka Carole Holley Alaska Program Co-Director Sharmila Kana Foundation Relations Manager Colleen Keane Alaska Program Associate Shannon Kellman Development and Communications Associate Leah Lander Operations Manager Shawna Larson Alaska Program Co-Director Xiu Min Li China Program Director Doug Norlen Policy Director Evan Sparling Russia Program Associate (Kamchatka) Marcy Straw Deputy Director of Development & Operations Wen Bo Senior Fellow, China Audrey Wood Russia Program Associate (Campaign) Min Zheng China Program Associate Leah Zimmerman Interim Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS BJ Chisholm, Chair Helena Brykarz Debbie Chapman Craig Cramer, Secretary-Treasurer Kathy Doan Herb Hammond Stuart Kaplan Walt Parker Peter Riggs Raisa Scriabine Jane Zhang FOUNDATION, CORPORATE & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT The Annenberg Foundation L.P. Brown Foundation The California Endowment Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Cisco Systems Matching Gift Program Clean Air - Cool Planet ClifBar Family Foundation Conservation, Food and Health Foundation Earth Share of California Earth Friends Conservation Fund Fitzgerald, Abbott & Beardsley, LLP GIS Consultants Global Greengrants Fund Global Travel Google Matching Gifts Program Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Island Press Jewish Communal Fund Kadoorie Charitable Foundation The J.M. Kaplan Fund
Kwok Charitable Trust Lawrence Foundation Marisla Foundation McKenzie River Gathering Foundation Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Moriah Fund Morrison & Foerster Foundation Charles Stewart Mott Foundation National Science Foundation Oak Foundation O’Keefe Family Foundation Open Society Institute The Pew Charitable Trusts Redwood Creek Regional Marine Conservation Project San Francisco Foundation Seven Castles LLC Sigrid Rausing Trust Trust for Mutual Understanding Weeden Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation WestWind Foundation Wilburforce Foundation INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS Anonymous (3) Nabil Abdelfattah & Liv Imset Todd Acker Eva Adamyan Debbie & Michael Aiona Sarah Aird Susan & Charles Alexander Katie Allan & Bill Spainhour Lani Alo Danny Ames Tom Anderson Helen Anderson Karolo Aparicio Amin Arikat Jared Asch Xanthippe Augerot & Josiah Fisher Marjorie Balzer Jaryn Barker & Pete Beckwith Patricia Beall Brian Berkey Phil & Carla Berry Ginny Berson Anne Bertaud-Peuto & Bernard Peuto Stephen Berzon Bob Bethea & Joan Anthony Kara Block Shira Blum Ronald Bogin Carmen Bonilla-Jones Scott Boone Ashley Boren Jonathan Borgieda Peter Bosshard Percy Boucher Amanda Bradford Patricia Bradford Dean Bradley June Brashares Peter Bratach Melissa Braukman Francine Brevetti Delia Brinton Gerald Brookman Robin Brooks Krista Brown Helena Brykarz Verity Burgess Vladimir & Valentina Burkanov Lisa Marie Burkhard William Campanello Hamilton Candee Thomas Carlino Matt Carreira Catherine Carter Phaedra Caruso-Radin Jeremy Chapman Deborah Chapman Sudipta Chatterjee Debbie Chinn BJ Chisholm Janet Chisholm Ione Clagett Robert Cole & Jean MacGregor Sandra & Michael Coleman Jill Cornwell & Barry Nelson Caitlin Costin John Courtney Janet Cox Fred Cox Larry Crane Mary Crolius Harriett Crosby Richard A. Cummings Carina Dames Luke Danielson Leandra Darcy Donna Davidson Judith Davis Jeff Den Broeder Jackie Dennis
Clifford Diver Kathy Doan Lewis Dolinsky Brian Donahoe Bridget Doonan Roseann Dudrick Kate Dunham William Dvorak Jon Elam Robert Ellis Judith Embry Tom Eng Larry Evans Stephanie Evans Robert Fay Simon Firth Michael Fischer Sheilah Fish David & Natalie Fisher Scott Fitzmorris Mortimer & Francoise Fleishhacker Richard Forrest Brent Foster Kirk Francis Mitch Friedman Erin & Michael Frost Michael Fuchs Kathryn Gallagher Sanjay Garla Keith Gayler Grace Gellerman Becca & Kurt Gisclair Sheilah Glover Polita Glynn Larry & Shirley Godwin Marsha & Eric Golangco Thomas Gold & Lucy Harris Kevin Goldsack Eileen Goldsmith & Scott Kronland Michael Goldstein William Gonzalez Janet Goodman Neva Goodwin Ingrid Gordon Marc Gordon David & Lysbeth Gordon Gillian Gordon-Smith & Todd Smith Quinn Gorges Joan Gorrell David Gossett Deborah Gouailhardou Katherine Gould-Martun Lorraine L. Grace Andrea Graessle James Graham Christine Greenwood Pete Grogan Joanna Gubman John Gussman Robert Haley Herb Hammond Alan Harper & Carol Baird Randy Hayes Caroline Heal David Helvarg Elizabeth Hewson Peggy Hilden Nathan Hirsch & Alicia Suski Kenneth Hittel Carole Hoefs Trina Horner Miran Horvat Cathy Houde Karen Hoy Karen Humber David Hunter & Margaret Bowman David Husch Mark Hutchin Hallie Austen Iglehart Mark Inouye Rodney Jackson & Darla Hillard Bruce Joffe Jeremy Johnson Leonides & Anthony Jong Cynthia Josayma Paul Joy Laura Juran & Raphael Sperry Claire Kadlecek Albert Kadosh Susan Kagan Avi Kagan Ron Kagan Miranda Kaiser Bharat & Manveen Kalyanpur Sharmila Kana Larry & Christina Kane Stuart Kaplan & Barbara Meislin Carol & Richard Katzoff Martha Kauffman Iva Kaufman Marcie Keever Rob Keller Mary Kelley Heather Kellman Shannon Kellman
Alycia Kellman Hope Kellman Nancy Kellman Celina Kellogg Karen Kelly Daniel Kessler Thomas King Eliza Klose Peter Klosterman Carl & Marilyn Kocher Steven Kohl Melinda Kramer Sebastian Krawczuk Jennifer Krill & Scott Kocino Peter Kristoph Sharon Kulz Lida Kvashina Alfred Kwok Meerim Kylychbekova Johann Laetz Sarah Lamnin Gary Lapid Emily Lee Tamara Lee William & Lucille Lee Aaron Lehmer Scott Leiby David Lemon Eric Lerner Kent Lewandowski Craig Lewis Stacey Leyton Anne Liebermann Christopher Lish Clinton & Kristi Littleton Rob & Lisa Lourie Monica Luke Linda Lye Loretta Lynch Edward Mainland Jerry Mander Jesse Marquez Sherry Marsh Tamera Martin Michael Marx Cindy Mason Alan & Judy Massengill John & Pam McCosker Michael & Diane McGill Scott & Kate McGlashan Rick Mei Kenneth & Vera Meislin Carol Merrill Brent Merrill & Mike King Katie & Steven Messick Gordon & Linda Meyer James Miller Ray & Anja Miller Roger Miller Xiu Min Liu Nori Mizushima Michele Mont-Eton Marianne Moore Charles Moore & Brennan Van Dyke Diane Morey Mary Lynn Morales Lou Morgan Kathleen Morgen Paul Moss Amy Mower Dana Mulvany Maeve Murphy Michael & Mary Murphy Doug Murray & Peggy Blumenthal Nana Murugesan Scott Myerson Allen & Martha Neuringer Penelope Nielsen Rebecca Noblin Cynthia Ohama Michael O’Heaney & Laura Kurre Gail Osherenko & Oran Young Leonard Pak Helen Panitt David Paradise Alison Parker Walter Parker Burton Peek Edwards Ali Peman Michele Perrault Carl Pezold John Pinson Renee Poirier-Pound David Postal Simon Poulton Bill Powers Ella Preger Theodore Raab & Domenique Bergmann Cindy Rasmussen Ted Rassieur Jim Ratliff Leland Ray James Redfield Kristin Reed Mary Rees
Beverly Reeves Craig Reeves Lauren Regan Jan Remak Miriam Rhew Mary Jo Rice Dale Riehart Peter Riggs John & Mary Robertson David Rockefeller Claudia Rodriguez-Ibanez Christine Rolfes Armin Rosencranz Gunnar Rosenquist Claudia Rosenthal Heather Rosmarin Peter Rothblatt & Mae Chesney Rochelle Rubinger Mike Ruby Dianne Safford Audrey Samelson Robert Sanders Jeanette Sasek Alixine Sasonoff Charles Saylan Brenda Scarborough Laurie Schram Enid Schreibman Mark Schreier Darlene Schueler Kingston & Liz Schwerer-Duffie Kirsten Schwind Michael Scott Raisa Scriabine David & Marie Scudder Deb Self Kazim & Rebecca Senoglu Marc Shargel Kevin Sheard Raja Shekhar James Shelton Pat Shields Daniel & Joanne Shively Teri Shore Daniel Silver Dana Simon Donald Sladkin Carol Smith Toni Smith Jennifer Smith-Lee Maryly Snow Rina Sonobe Reed Sparling Charlie Stein Todd Steiner Mary Strauss Marcy Straw & Mark Westlund Melissa Swinney Andrew Sybilrud Toby Symington Steve & Andrea Taber Zoe Tang George Taylor Marie Telega Lauren Thiem Jesse Tieger Jesse Tippett Heather Todd Marianne & Tom Townsend Alan Tracy Lisa Tracy Judith Tracy Cecilia Trost & Rich Jepson Mark Turner Kathrine Turner Mark Vallianatos E.T. Van Popering Vivienne Verdon-Roe & Michael Porter Rob Vincent & Connie Laventurier Laura Wais Nancy Ewen Wang Michael Ward Pamela Warren Sandra Wassillie Gary Waxmonsky Valerie Wayne Teresa Webb Jonathan Weissglass Adam Werbach Margaret Williams Percy Boucher Williamson David Wimpfheimer Abigail Wolcott Laura Woltag Gordon Wong Hanson Wood Nobuyuki Yamada Susan & Masatoshi Yamanaka Violet& Thomas Yeaton Rives Yost Lee & Peggy Zeigler Jane Zhang Brooke Zobrist Michael Zwirn
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