The pandemic, mental health concerns, inflation, the “Great Resignation,” cyberattacks: Leaders of organizations across sectors have a wide range of worries these days. Dealing with these concerns requires us to be nimble and balance the long-term view with immediate demands. The same is true of another pressing issue that doesn’t always make it to the top of leaders’ to-do lists: climate change.

It's time to accelerate action.

While many leaders care about climate change, it’s likely the climate crisis hasn’t been at the top of their agendas for several reasons. I've found that few donors are willing to fund the resources that are required to set credible science-based climate targets, implement internal greenhouse gas emissions reductions and report on progress.

Together, the nonprofit sector can advocate for greater funding to incorporate climate-forward thinking and adaptive strategies into our programs. The majority of Americans say that richer countries, like the U.S., should help low-income countries pay for the costs of adapting to climate change, according to a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults we conducted with The Harris Poll in October.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report (download required) found that the world is locked in to hit the 1.5 degree Celcius warming limit, and may reach it as early as 2030. Many leaders recognize the importance of moving quickly to reduce our emissions and that mitigation is no longer enough. As nonprofit leaders, we also must adapt our programs to help the people we serve deal with the consequences of the climate crisis.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called the report a "code red for humanity," alarmed by warnings of compound events in which various extremes, such as heat waves and drought, overlap and affect society in unprecedented ways. I think it also should be a code red for our sector, since love of humankind is quite literally the definition of philanthropy.

Adaptation is necessary and possible.

Every sector will be impacted by the climate crisis, so nonprofit leaders should consider how climate change impacts your operating plans. For example, if you run sports programs or camps, participants are being impacted by reduced air quality — which can impact health — and growing exposure to serious diseases. Heat waves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting. That has implications not only for all outdoor programs, but also for those of us in public health and for leaders who traditionally didn’t need to think much about the issue.

Read the full article about climate innovation by Charles E. Owubah at Forbes.