Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe

What Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe does

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is a Brussels-based non-profit coalition of more than 200 environmental and civil society member organizations operating across 40 European countries. Collectively, its membership represents over 1,700 NGOs and 40 million citizens, making it one of the largest climate-advocacy networks in Europe. The coalition's function is to coordinate member organizations around shared climate-policy positions, run joint campaigns, and engage EU institutions and international climate negotiations. Its work is organized across seven thematic areas: Climate Action, Energy Transition, Financing the Transition, International Climate Negotiations, Socially Just Transition, Western Balkans and Türkiye, and Trade & Climate.

The coalition operationalizes its mandate through a portfolio of named campaigns — PLAN4CLIMATE, The Cost of Methane, Hands Off Nature!, Build Better Lives, Stop EU-Mercosur, REALS, Future-Proofing Europe's Energy, and Funding Fairer Futures — and by hosting the secretariat of the Beyond Fossil Fuels campaign. There is no proprietary technology platform or commercial product; the organization's "output" is policy advocacy, coalition coordination, campaign execution, and convening capacity. It operates as a regional node of CAN International and partners with peer coalitions such as the European Environmental Bureau, Transport & Environment, HEAL, Eurodad, and CEE Bankwatch.

The revenue model is grant-funded and membership-supported. Income derives from EU Commission instruments (notably LIFE, Horizon Europe, and DEAR), national government funding, philanthropic foundations (including Bloomberg Philanthropies, European Climate Foundation, and Environmental Defense Fund), and membership fees. The organization employs 72 staff and is led by Director Chiara Martinelli. As a non-profit, financial mechanics prioritize sustaining advocacy capacity, member services, and campaign operations rather than generating profit or shareholder return.

Name

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe

Legal name

Climate Action Network Europe

Website

https://caneurope.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Brussels-based coalition of 200+ environmental NGOs across 40 European countries, representing 1,700+ organizations and 40 million citizens, conducting EU climate policy advocacy through coordinated campaigns and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy Advocacy and NGO Coalition Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Mitigation Programs (Energy, Industry, Transport) (BPADALAC), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Climate policy advocacy
• NGO coalition network
• Environmental civil society
• Climate campaign coordination
• Sustainable development policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels, Ixelles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: CAN Europe receives funding from the European Commission (including LIFE Programme, Horizon Europe Programme, DEAR Programme), governments (Belgian Government), and foundations (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Environmental Defense Fund, European Climate Foundation, European Climate Initiative/EUKI of German BMU, KR Foundation, Laudes Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Funders for Fair Trade, Climate Works Foundation).
2. Membership Fees: Member organisations pay contributions and membership fees to support the network.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CAN Europe is Europe's leading NGO coalition fighting the climate crisis. It empowers civil society organisations to influence the design and development of effective climate change policy across the European Union, its Member States, and European countries outside the EU. Its core offerings include coordinated advocacy campaigns, policy research and publications, joint lobbying with a 200-member network across 40 European countries, and participation in UNFCCC international climate negotiations.

Product overview

CAN Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting the climate crisis. Rather than a traditional software product company, it operates as a network organization offering advocacy campaigns, publications and policy research, and a membership network. Its campaign offerings include PLAN4CLIMATE (national climate action tracking), The Cost of Methane (methane awareness), Hands Off Nature! (environmental law protection), Build Better Lives (building renovation), Stop EU-Mercosur (trade deal opposition), REALS (renewable energy), Future-Proofing Europe's Energy, and Funding Fairer Futures. The organization also produces publications and reports on climate policy and maintains a membership network of over 200 NGOs across 40 European countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLAN4CLIMATE: A LIFE project led by CAN Europe involving 14 civil society organisations from 13 EU countries working to accelerate implementation of national climate policies.
• The Cost of Methane
• Hands Off Nature!
• TAKE ACTION to Build Better Lives
• Stop the climate-wrecking EU-Mercosur Trade Deal
• Future-Proofing Europe’s Energy Beyond-2030
• REALS
• Funding Fairer Futures

Products and services

• Publications and Policy Briefings Reports, policy briefings, position papers, and analyses on EU climate, energy, and development policies (including NECPs, EU ETS, fossil fuel subsidies, and renewable energy) targeted at policymakers, member NGOs, EU institutions, and the media.
• PLAN4CLIMATE Campaign A LIFE Programme project led by CAN Europe with 14 civil society organisations from 13 EU countries working to accelerate implementation of national climate policies and National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).
• The Cost of Methane Campaign Awareness and policy campaign highlighting methane emissions from fossil fuel operations and urging full implementation of the EU Methane Regulation.
• Hands Off Nature! Campaign Campaign defending European environmental laws (clean air, safe water, biodiversity) against legislative dismantling.
• Build Better Lives Campaign Campaign ensuring decent, affordable, and energy-efficient housing for all through National Building Renovation Plans in EU Member States.
• Stop the EU-Mercosur Trade Deal Campaign Campaign opposing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement on climate and environmental grounds, including petition mobilisation across Europe.
• Membership Network Service Membership-based coalition service open to non-governmental and community-based non-profit organisations in Europe with an interest in sustainable development and climate change. Provides advocacy coordination, policy briefings, joint lobbying, and twice-yearly General Assemblies to 200 member organisations across 40 countries.
• General Assemblies and Network Convenings Twice-yearly in-person intensive exchange and strategy meetings for member organisations to align positions on EU climate policy topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAN Europe and network campaigns have achieved significant policy influence including historic victory in 2024 as EU decided to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• European Environmental BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner organisation working on environmental issues in Brussels. Collaborates on shared advocacy goals for environmental protection and climate action.
• Transport & EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner focused on sustainable transport policy. Works with CAN Europe on climate and transport-related advocacy in Europe.
• Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner based in Poland working at the intersection of health and environment. Collaborates on advocacy linking environmental and health policies.
• EurodadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner organisation focusing on development finance and debt issues. Collaborates on trade, climate finance, and development policy.
• CEE Bankwatch NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner focused on Central Eastern Europe. Works on energy, climate, and environmental issues in the CEE region.
• CAN InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational umbrella organisation for Climate Action Network globally. CAN Europe is a regional node and collaborates on international climate negotiations, policy positions, and global climate campaigns.
• Beyond Fossil FuelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner based in Berlin. CAN Europe hosts the campaign secretariat for Beyond Fossil Fuels and integrates coal debate into policy work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Germanwatch: German environmental and development NGO engaged in EU and international climate policy. Operates a similar advocacy model with comparable membership base, and collaborates with CAN Europe on multiple joint initiatives.
• E3G: Brussels-based climate think tank operating in the same EU policy advocacy space. Less network-driven than CAN Europe but comparable focus on accelerating the European green transition with high-level EU institutional access.

Direct peers

• Friends of the Earth Europe: European network of national Friends of the Earth groups running a coalition-based model for EU environmental and climate advocacy. Comparable member-network structure, Brussels presence, and EU-policy focus to CAN Europe.
• Carbon Market Watch: Brussels-based NGO focused on carbon market integrity and ETS policy. Board representation on CAN Europe, overlapping funder base and joint advocacy on EU climate policy files.
• Transport & Environment: Brussels-based NGO focused on sustainable transport and climate policy. A Core strategic partner of CAN Europe, it runs a comparable Brussels-lobbying, network-coordination model with overlapping member organisations and policy targets.
• WWF European Policy Office: Brussels-based policy arm of WWF in Europe. Both a CAN Europe member and source of board co-chairs, with overlapping climate-policy advocacy targeting EU institutions and significant scale in Brussels NGO coalitions.
• CEE Bankwatch Network: Central and Eastern European NGO network working on energy, climate and environmental issues. A Core strategic partner of CAN Europe with a comparable coalition-driven advocacy model serving a regional member base.
• European Environmental Bureau: Brussels-based federation of environmental citizens' organisations working on EU environmental policy. A Core strategic partner of CAN Europe, it operates an overlapping NGO-coalition model targeting EU institutions on closely related climate and environmental files.
• CAN International: Global umbrella of the Climate Action Network family and CAN Europe's direct parent. Operates the same NGO coalition / network-coordination model at global level and coordinates joint COP and UNFCCC activities, making it the closest functional peer.

Regional players

• Climate Action Network (US): Sister regional node of the Climate Action Network family operating in the United States. Same brand, network-coalition model and climate advocacy mandate, but focused on US federal and state policy rather than EU institutions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/can-europe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe