2026 REPORT

THE FAMILY WEALTH POTENTIAL FOR CLIMATE ACTION

A Conversation with 20 Families 

As an estimated $124 trillion in private wealth transitions from one generation to the next, a critical question is emerging:

Will this historic moment unlock significant capital toward climate action and environmental stewardship, or will families sit on the sidelines?

Over 18 months, I spoke with 20 high net-wealth families across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean to understand how climate action is showing up in intergenerational wealth transitions. 

What I found was neither simple alignment nor outright resistance, but something more nuanced: a fragmented middle ground where belief doesn't always translate into action, and where the greatest potential lies in navigating the tensions between generations.

This report explores the real dynamics shaping how family wealth moves—or doesn't move—toward climate solutions.

INSIDE THE REPORT:

  • How families are currently showing up within the climate ecosystem—and why most remain in a siloed, murky middle ground.

  • The generational tensions that block alignment, and where common ground actually exists.

  • Why succession planning (or the lack of it) is the hidden driver of climate capital deployment.

  • What climate-ready leadership looks like, and why who families hire matters as much as how much they invest.

  • Four principles for families ready to move from intention to action.

ACCESS THE REPORT:

THE FAMILY WEALTH POTENTIAL FOR CLIMATE ACTION:

A conversation with 20 families

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roxana Balzac Ruiz

Roxana serves families who are taking a values-based approach to legacy building. She spent five years working in-house for a fourth-generation, family-owned conglomerate and has since collaborated with dozens of families through her advisory work.

She brings over 15 years of experience across strategy, operations, and investments, spanning multiple industries and geographies. Her background includes serving as a Partner and COO of a solar financing platform in Mexico, as well as leading business development in Latin America for a top New York law firm. She currently serves on the board of a family-owned business operating in the organic waste sector and on the advisory board of a certified B Corp focused on eliminating single-use plastics across businesses and communities.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she is an avid reader, cyclist and traveler. She earned her bachelor's degree at Barnard College, Columbia University and has continued her education in the field of regenerative economics through the Capital Institute as well as having obtained a certificate in circular economy from UC Berkeley Extension.

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