Year in
Review
2022
The Power of Community

Foreword from the CEO
By the year 2050, climate change may force 200 million people from their homes. It’s a startling statistic, but not surprising. In just the last few years, climate change has fueled extreme weather that has devastated communities in places like the Philippines, Mozambique, Honduras, and even the United States.
While nowhere is untouched by climate change, solutions abound. At Rare, we know the power of community is a vital strategy in combatting climate change. Our solutions work for and through communities.
In 2022, Rare made strides in building, cultivating, and scaling the power of community in response to climate change. We worked with communities of fishers to build climate resilience. We built networks of farming communities to adopt climate-smart agriculture. And we empowered communities of Hollywood creatives to help change how we frame climate change in the stories we tell.
In our 2022 Year In Review, you’ll read about more remarkable milestones like these that reflect the value our donors, partners, and allies see in our community-based, people-centered approach. But none of the successes in this review would be possible without the support of people like you. You make it possible for us to engage communities around the world with innovative ways to catalyze and measure change.
As we look back at a year of progress, partnerships, and prolonged impact, we do so with immense gratitude and hope for continued collaboration in the year ahead.

Cheers,
Brett Jenks, Rare CEO

Driving Social Change for People and Nature
In 2022, Rare continued to invest in supporting community-led natural resource management: empowering local leaders, partnering with individuals to co-manage, protect and restore their natural resources against threats like climate change, and using the science of human behavior to drive social change for people and nature.
Rare on the Global Stage
Global Collaborations



Program Snapshot:
The Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE.Center)
"This past year, we’ve been energized by the increasing momentum and demand for behavior-centered design for the environment. From Botswana to China, from issues of food waste to wildlife trade, and from environmental practitioners to funders to Hollywood creatives, we’re building a global movement of people using the science of human behavior to create change.”
- Kevin Green, VP BE.Center
Program Snapshot:
Fish Forever
“In 2022, the Int’l Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, Fish Forever made historic strides towards empowering community-based co-management of coastal fisheries. Amidst climate change and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Fish Forever accelerated legislation, local leadership, and science related to managed access fishing areas with reserves and prepared the program for scale in 2023. “
- Rocky Sanchez Tirona, Managing Director Fish Forever

Philippines Milestone: Scaled groundbreaking partnerships in Zamboanga Sibugay province
“We’ve always worked with local partners to ensure on-the-ground impact. It’s now evident in the Philippines’ Zamboanga Sibugay province, where a coalition of fisherfolks and local organizations are leading in managing their coastal resources. Our community leader Roberto ‘Ka Dodoy’ Ballon was even awarded Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize.”
- Japy Silapan, Sr. Program Manager Philippines
Indonesia Milestone: Government approval of the first six managed access areas for fishers in Indonesia's Southeast Sulawesi province
“We were told local communities couldn't be granted the rights to protect and sustainably manage their marine resources. Some people said it was also illegal. But now, it's become a reality.”
-Taufiq Alimi, VP Indonesia
Mozambique Milestone: Stood up gender-inclusive fisheries management bodies
"For the first time, four Community Fisheries Councils elected women leaders. This historic voter turnout resulted in an average increase from 25% to 56% of women taking on leadership roles. These results come from significant effort and support from many to protect and manage Mozambique’s precious resources.”
- Cremildo Armando, Program Implementation Manager Mozambique
Brazil Milestone: Created "Green July": Brazil’s largest community-based movement to protect and conserve its mangroves
“We’re helping to transform 12 marine protected areas (Resex) from legal to functional and improving co-management of small-scale fisheries along the Amazon Coast—the world’s largest continuum of mangroves.”
- Monique Barreto Galvao, VP Brazil
The Mesoamerican Reef Region Milestone: Advanced legality of 520 km2 of managed access fishing area in Honduras's Santa Fe municipality
“Our greatest motivation for doing what we do is seeing the faces of all these people who realize that they are capable of empowering great change within their own community and creating hope for future generations.”
- Diana Vasquez, VP Central America
The Pacific Islands Milestone: Built a national fisher registration system and related legislation in Palau
“The community fishers are registering to ensure sustainable fisheries in their villages. Now, the Bureau of Fisheries is supporting them by working with Rare to build a national fisher registration system.”
- Kevin Mesebeluu, Project Implementation Manager Palau






Program Snapshot:
Lands for Life
“2022 was a challenging year for Colombia’s farmers, with heavy rains, high food and fertilizer prices, and decreased food production. But it showed us the incredible resilience of and potential for farming communities to adopt more sustainable and climate-friendly behaviors to counter growing threats like climate change. It gave us an important runway to grow our work.”
- Monica Varela, VP Lands for Life
Program Snapshot:
Climate Culture
“Americans are more united on climate action than they think—and we’ve been readying ourselves to help Americans take action faster, together. In 2022, with our partners, we brought the most impactful climate behaviors and insights to engaged communities—at work, in Hollywood, online, at home, and in Boston. We’re incredibly inspired by the people and their institutions already partnering with us on climate action.”
- Brandon Schauer, Senior VP Climate Culture
Rare's Research
In 2022, Rare’s experts led and collaborated on an array of research projects to inform the field of conservation and beyond.
Financing the conservation of coral reefs - March 2022
A white paper from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative (which includes Rare) outlined solutions to finance coral reef conservation.
Six behaviors policymakers should prioritize to mitigate climate change - March 2022
Behavioral Science & Policy featured Rare’s analysis of the six behaviors individuals can adopt with the greatest potential to reduce emissions in the United States.
Participation, not penalties: Community involvement and equitable governance contribute to more effective multi-use protected areas - May 2022
Rare’s Courtney Cox, Stuart Campbell, and Raymond Jakub were co-authors of a study published in Science Advances on the benefits of participatory management of fisheries. The paper was cited by The Guardian in December.
Eight principles for effective and inviting climate communications - August 2022
Rare, the Behavioural Insights Team and Potential Energy Coalition created a resource outlining 8 science-based principles for better communication about climate change.
Using emotions to encourage changes in environmental behavior - September 2022
The Journal Ecology & Society published research by Rare’s Katie Williamson and Erik Thulin on the role emotions can play in driving the adoption of sustainable behavior.
Mapping the movement of fish larvae for more effective marine conservation - October 2022
A report co-authored by Rare’s Courtney Cox, Stuart Campbell, and Raymond Jakub, and published in Marine Policy, explores how the dispersal of fish larvae can help design effective marine reserves.
"Community is shared trust, connection, and caring."
-Dorothy Batten, Chair, Rare Board of Trustees

To all our friends, partners, and donors, thank you for being part of our community.
Mil gracias, Obrigada, Terima kasih, Danke. Ke kmal mesaul, Salamat, 谢谢你.

In Memoriam: Lito Mancao
We join the Philippines team in mourning the loss of our colleague, friend, and leader of Rare's Philippines team. Lito was a passionate leader, champion of communities, and true friend and mentor to so many.
Lito's love for Philippine coastal communities and fisheries was one of a kind. It is not an understatement to say that Fish Forever and Rare’s presence in the Philippines would not be where they are today without Lito’s wisdom, creativity, and energy. We resolve to honor and celebrate Lito through the legacy of his work.