Conservation International

Conservation International

Information:

People depend on nature for many things. A stable climate. Clean air. Fresh water. Abundant food. Cultural resources. And the incalculable additional benefits the world’s biodiversity provides. Conservation International (CI) works to ensure a healthy and productive planet for us all.

Yet economic and infrastructure development, which are so necessary for human well-being, can also have serious impacts on nature. That is why CI is working at every level – from remote villages to the offices of presidents and premiers – to help move whole societies toward a smarter development path.

Through science, policy and field work, we're applying smart solutions to protect the resources that we all depend on. We help communities, countries and societies protect tropical forests, lush grasslands, rivers, wetlands, abundant lakes and the sea. Only through properly valuing the essential services these ecosystems provide can we create a sustainable development path that will benefit all people for generations to come.

Mission

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity.

Vision

The challenges confronting our global environment and the needs of the world's human populations have never been greater; the future, quite literally, is in the balance.

Every person on Earth deserves a healthy environment and the fundamental benefits that nature provides. But our planet is experiencing an unprecedented drawdown of these resources, and it is only by protecting nature and its gifts – a stable climate, fresh water, healthy oceans and reliable food – that we can ensure a better life for everyone, everywhere.

Strategy:

This is an extraordinary moment for our planet. Economic development has the potential to lift so many out of poverty, but too often it also places a burden on our one shared home.

Today, the world is beginning to understand that we must properly value the essential services nature provides if we are going to create a sustainable development path that will benefit all people for generations to come.

Now, Conservation International is seizing this unprecedented opportunity to set an ambitious agenda.

Our scientists, field staff and policy experts are: measuring the contribution of healthy ecosystems to human well-being; assessing the implications of development decisions;  putting cutting-edge, rigorously tested information in the hands of decision-makers and the public; and demonstrating through field models how economic opportunity and the stewardship of natural resources can leverage change at an international scale.

In order to have the most impact as quickly and effectively as possible, we will focus both marine and land-based efforts on:

• working to secure a stable global climate
• understanding and protecting the sources and flows of fresh water
• ensuring nature’s ability to provide food for human needs
• minimizing environmental pressures on human health
• valuing the role of nature in human cultures
• safeguarding the unknown and as-yet-undiscovered option values that nature provides.

The challenges of our day are great, but they are not insurmountable. At Conservation International, we aim to transform our greatest challenges into the greatest opportunity of our time.

Values:

Our work is inspired by the core values that have been with CI since day one: passion, respect, integrity, optimism, and courage. As we work toward securing a healthy planet for today and for generations to come, we are guided by five fundamental values.

We are passionate about nature and cherish the diversity of life from the sea bottoms to the mountain peaks.

We respect and trust each other, and we embrace the diversity of our cultures, talents, and experiences.

We make every decision with integrity and are accountable for the choices we make.

We are optimistic that life on Earth can be preserved and that with our partners we will witness unprecedented successes in conservation.

We have the courage to take bold action in the face of naysayers and critics, persevere through challenging times, and pursue our vision tirelessly and with enthusiasm.

Web Page:

http://www.conservation.org