CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

For nearly 30 years, Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all.

We know that human beings are totally dependent on nature — and that by saving nature, we’re saving ourselves. To that end, CI is helping to build a healthier, more prosperous and more productive planet. We do this through science, policy, and partnerships with countries, communities and companies. We employ more than 1,000 people and work with more than 2,000 partners in 30 countries. Over the years, CI has helped support 1,200 protected areas and interventions across 77 countries, safeguarding more than 601 million hectares of land, marine and coastal areas.

Why we exist:
Nature doesn’t need people. People need nature. Our food, our water, our health, our jobs — they all rely on the health of the planet’s ecosystems. But we’re taking more from nature than nature can give. We’re weakening the Earth’s ability to provide the clean air, fresh water and food we depend on. In short, we’re creating a crisis.

We can end this crisis. But we need big ideas and even bigger solutions. Conservation International works at every level, from remote villages to the offices of presidents and CEOs, to find these solutions. Our work is moving entire societies toward a healthier, more sustainable development path — so that we don’t use up today what we’re going to need tomorrow.

Our approach:
At CI, we don’t focus on one sector or one issue. And we’re not interested in short-term fixes. Instead, building upon a foundation of science, partnership and field work, we find global solutions to global problems. The CI approach is simple, yet transformative. It is based on the integration of three fundamental elements:

1. Protecting our natural wealth: The most fundamental aspect of our approach is to protect the places that we cannot afford to lose — the spectacular but vulnerable places on land and at sea that are especially important to humanity, the places that provide our food, water and the air we breathe.

2. Fostering effective governance: The ability to protect our natural wealth can only occur in places where there is a political commitment to do so, where policies support such actions and capacity exists to carry them out. We work with governments to ensure that they have the knowledge and tools to enact policies that are good for their people, now and for generations to come.

3. Promoting sustainable production: Finally, and in tandem with the first two elements, forward-thinking policies and practices must be in place to promote sustainable production practices. We work with companies — including those with a big impact in sectors like mining, energy and agriculture — to help make sure that industry doesn’t undercut nature’s ability to support us.

At CI, we measure success in human terms. Our ultimate goal is to protect the most fundamental things that nature provides to all of us: our food, our fresh water, our livelihoods and a stable climate.