ARC has closed after 23 years

ARC CLOSED at the end of June, 2019 after 23 exciting years brokering links and projects and programmes between the world's major faiths and international organisations and NGOs working on environment programmes.

We closed for the best of possible reasons. We have done what we initially set out to do.

"In the past 23 years we have seen an incredible rise in the global perception (by governments, NGOs, religious leaders, religious followers and members of the general public) of the importance of religions in environment and conservation programmes," said ARC's secretary general Martin Palmer.

	ARC's founder HRH Prince Philip, ARC's secretary general Martin Palmer and ARC's board of trustees agreed in 1996 that ARC would exist only for as long as it took to put religion on the agenda of major secular environment groups, and environment on the agenda of major world religions.

"There is work to be done, but there are now many organisations and bodies around to do that work, in both the religious and the secular worlds."

"We were founded in 1995 in order to help the religions work on conservation, and for conservation organisations to work with religions. When we started many people – on all sides – thought there was little connection between religions and the environment. Now it is rare to find anyone in a key decision-making role who is sceptical."

"It is unusual for a charity, or any organisation, to close at the height of its success, but it is also important for all charities and organisations to close when they have done the work they have set themselves. Prince Philip and I have always agreed that ARC is an idea. And that when that idea is taken up it will be time to close. This is that time.

We are grateful for all the partnerships and friendships and projects and positive changes, and sometimes wonderful things we have seen and helped achieve."

Thank you to all those who have walked beside us, and beside whom we have walked.

The Future