New research has revealed that charities with an environmental focus as their primary mission make up just over one per cent of all registered organisations in England and Wales.

The Third Sector Research Centre releases today its research report Mapping the environmental third sector in England. The document is based on analysis of two data sources – the Charity Commission Register (1995 – 2008) and the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations (NSTSO) (2008).

And it reveals that only 1,800 charities have the environment as their primary focus out approximately 160,000 charities on the Charity Commission’s register.

The figure is closer to 7,700 organisations when the classification is broadened to charities and other types of voluntary sector organisation that include the environment as one of their three main activities.

The number of environmental charities is, however, higher than it was in 1960, when there were only around 500. While this does reflect the overall trend in the growth of charity numbers, which has grown exponentially from 50,000 to the 160,000 in modern times, it does mean that the proportion has risen: from 0.3 per cent fifty years ago to the current 1 per cent.

Environmental groups more reliant on membership fees

The research highlights some other comparisons between environmental organisations and the wider charitable sector. Membership fees are the most important source of income for environmental organisations, whereas the rest of the sector relies more heavily on donations and fundraising.

Also, environmental organisations are more focused on advocacy and campaigning: around 30 per cent see this as one of their primary functions – three times as many as non-environmental organisations.

Rural areas – perhaps unsurprisingly – have a higher prevalence of local voluntary sector organisations than urban areas, with this particularly true for environmental organisations.

The research, as well as a list of registered environmental charities in England, is available from the Third Sector Research Centre website here.

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