Conservation International
conservation.org
Attorneys who work at Conservation International could be described as “Lawyers Protecting the World,” which quite accurately describes their goal. The organization’s official motto is actually “People Need Nature to Survive”, but the work that they do is based on both of these sayings; their staff includes lawyers looking to use their wide experience and knowledge to help save the world’s precious resources and biodiversity. They are, according to their mission statement, “committed to helping societies adopt a more sustainable approach to development – one that considers and values nature at every turn.” Certainly, their major projects reflect these goals in a strong way.
Their Global Conservation Fund is one of the most important funds to protect the environment worldwide. They work to finance protective efforts worldwide, and to promote support for other conservation projects by setting up funds that protect, expand, and manage newly protected land. One recent victory was partnering with the United States and Indonesian governments on a deal where the US forgave $20 million worth of debt provided that Indonesia would instead put money into a fund specifically to protect delicate forests on the island of Sumatra . Moreover, the Global Conservation fund was able to assist in this effort with reduced legal costs as much if the law work was donated pro bono by the leading global law firm White & Case . So far the Global Conservation Fund has worked in forty different countries to fund protection efforts to areas totaling about 195 million acres.
Verde Ventures, another program of Conservation International, works to bolster local economies in a way that is beneficial to nature. This program provides loans to businesses that have the potential to help their environment and their communities. For instance, in Kenya they financed the Wildlife Works clothing company which is based on the edge of a wildlife sanctuary. As part of their work, the Wildlife Works company helps to protect endangered bird species of the area, and holds community sessions teaching about the importance of conservation efforts. Best of all, they employ local workers who maintain a stake in protecting their home environments, and who are willing to work on these ventures as well. Another project of Verde Ventures was funding a tourism business in the Galapagos Islands in a protected area. This tourism business not only works in a way that respects nature, but provides jobs to locals as an alternative to the typical vocation of fishing, which has begun to threaten the marine habitats in the area. All in all, Verde Ventures has worked in 12 countries and funded ventures that employ 15,000 people who have worked to save 189 threatened species and 759,000 acres of important, wildlife habitat.
If you would like to learn more about Conservation International, please visit their website at http://www.conservation.org/, or if you would like to make a donation, please do so here.
