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International Conservation Caucus Foundation
International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) educational foundation based in Washington, D.C. that functions as the U.S. chapter of The ICCF Group. ICCF's stated mission is "to advance U.S. leadership in international conservation through public and private partnerships and to develop the next generation of conservation leaders in the U.S. Congress."[1] ICCF works with bipartisan leadership of conservation-focused caucuses to educate policymakers on issues that increase the effectiveness of government support for international conservation projects. The organization provides balanced information to Members of Congress through briefings and organizes educational programs by international conservation leaders in the corporate, government, and NGO communities.[2] ProgramsU.S. Congressional Briefing SeriesICCF hosts educational programs with expert presenters on topics coordinated by conservationists' recommendations and concerns. Briefings focus on the direct connection between support of intelligent management of natural resources globally and benefits to U.S. national and economic security. Focal topic areas include oceans, forestry, and agriculture.[3] Caucus SupportICCF supports certain bipartisan and bicameral caucuses in the U.S. legislature. As of the 118th Congress, these include:[4]
AwardsICCF offers four major awards:
The ICCF GroupICCF launched the Conservation Council of Nations (CCN), which does business as The ICCF Group, in May 2011 as a separate 501(c)(3) entity to build an international network of conservation-minded public and private sector leaders to foster new conservation caucuses modeled after ICC.[9] The ICCF Group's mission is "To Advance Conservation Governance by Building Political Will, Providing On-the-Ground Solutions," with a vision for "A World Where People and Nature Sustain and Nurture One Another." Since their founding in the U.S., they have expanded to include chapters in the United Kingdom, Kenya, Colombia, and Thailand.[10] PartnersThe ICCF's Conservation Council Partners include:
ControversyIn a 2013 article in Mother Jones magazine, "The Congressman, the Safari King, and the Woman Who Tried to Look Like a Cat," author Corbin Hiar pointed out appearances of impropriety among ICCF's educational travel to Africa and elsewhere, including evidence that such trips were not properly reported on lobbying reports as required by law.[11][12] The article also spotlights ICCF's unwillingness to take a public stand on global warming, the Lacey Act, or other issues that might threaten economic interests of ICCF's corporate members. In a separate interview, ICCF Founder and former President David Barron was also profiled for his business dealings with African political leadership, including the governments of Nigeria and other states during periods of autocratic or dictatorial governments. See alsoReferences
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