THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT

Washington, D.C.

June 15, 2011
The campaign worked with InterAction, a coalition of nearly 200 relief and development groups to hold a Congressional briefing on the interconnection between global conservation and development.  Over 90 people attended.  Notable speakers included U.S. Representatives Russ Carnahan (D-MO) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE); Henrietta Fore, former administrator at USAID; Julie L. Kunen, senior advisor and chief of staff in USAID’s Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Learning; Ritu Sharma, President and Co-Founder of Women Thrive World Wide; Sam Worthington, President and CEO of InterAction; and David Reed from World Wildlife Fund.

WOMEN HEROES OF GLOBAL CONSERVATION: REPAIRING NATURE, EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES

Washington, D.C.

October 6-8, 2010
In October 2010 the campaign brought a group of women conservation leaders, including Afghanistan’s first female Governor, Habiba Sarabi, to Washington, DC. The women met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, USAID Administrator Shah, and other members of the Administration  to raise awareness of the critical role women play in global conservation and the need for U.S. engagement and leadership.

On Thursday, October 7, the women took part in a luncheon entitled “Women Heroes of Global Conservation: Repairing Nature, Empowering Communities,” hosted by members of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, the UN Foundation, the Green Belt Movement, and the Alliance for Global Conservation. The luncheon was moderated by Katty Kay, Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America.  Other speakers included Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL), Under Secretary of State Maria Otero, and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley. Nearly 250 people were in attendance, including hill staff, administration officials, and leaders of women’s, development, and environmental NGOs.  The women were interviewed by reporters from various outlets including CNN, BBC, NPR’s Living on Earth, and Greenwire.

Participating Women Heroes of Conservation included: Lucy Aquino (World Wildlife Fund, Paraguay), Governor Habiba Sarabi (Bamyan Province, Afghanistan), Mary Mavanza (Jane Goodall Institute, Tanzania), Suzan Baptiste (Natureseekers, Trinidad), and Lek Chailert (Elephant Nature Park, Thailand).

SUSTAINING SECURITY: HOW NATURAL RESOURCES INFLUENCE NATIONAL SECURITY

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

September 22, 2010
On Wednesday, September 22, the AGC held a Capitol Hill lunch briefing with General Anthony Zinni (Ret.) on the growing threat that environmental degradation around the world poses to national security.  Additional remarks were offered by Lieutenant Colonel Shannon Beebe (author, The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon: Human Security and the New Rules of War and Peace) and Christine Parthemore (Fellow, Center for New American Security (CNAS) and co-author, Sustaining Security: How Natural Resources Influence National Security) and several congressional sponsors including Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Russ Carnahan (D-MO), and Adam Smith (D-WA).  AGC Director Jeff Wise introduced the briefing, which was attended by approximately 100 people, including Hill staff, DOD experts, and reporters.

SURVIVORS: PROTECTING NATURE’S PHARMACY

Washington, D.C.

April 2010
In April 2010, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and HIV survivors, all of whom benefited from drugs derived from nature, joined the AGC in Washington D.C.  The survivors, in partnership with medical experts, met with members of Congress to ask them to increase U.S. aid for international conservation.  They also expressed their support of the Global Conservation Act, which would help to conserve natural areas around the world that provide the raw materials for about half of all the new pharmaceutical drugs that Americans depend on. These survivor’s stories were featured in earth day stories in the Tampa Bay Tribune and radio stories on the Public News Service in CA, TN, NY and FL.

THE GLOBAL CONSERVATION ACT OF 2010 BRIEFING WITH DON CHEADLE AND DR. JANE GOODALL

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

May 20, 2010
On Thursday, May 20, 2010 the AGC hosted a Congressional Lunch Briefing in the Rayburn House Office Building on the newly introduced Global Conservation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4959).  The panel of speakers featured several special guests, including Oscar nominated actor Don Cheadle and legendary scientist Dr. Jane Goodall who discussed the importance of protecting species and ecosystems around the world. Also speaking in support of the bill were lead sponsors Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), and Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA).

Collectively, the panel discussed how the rapid disappearance of the world’s forests, reefs, and other natural ecosystems is causing a decline in the availability of many resources, including fresh water, fuel, food, and medicines. This briefing stressed the importance of the Global Conservation Act in placing the diplomatic and strategic resources of the United States behind efforts to address ecosystem destruction worldwide.

WHY SAVING SPECIES MATTERS

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

April 13, 2010
On Tuesday, April 13, 2010, the AGC co-sponsored an event with The Academy of Natural Sciences entitled “Why Saving Species Matters.”  Speakers at the event included:

Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy: Chief biodiversity adviser to the president of the World Bank, senior adviser to the president of the United  National Foundation, and Biodiversity Chair of the  Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment.

Kent Hughes Butts: Professor of Political Military Strategy and the Director of the National Security Issues Group at the Center for Strategic Leadership, U.S. Army War College

Samuel C. Blackman: MD, PhD, pediatric oncologist and Associate Director of Experimental Medicine/Oncology at Merck Research Laboratories

Jeff Wise: Director of the Alliance for Global Conservation and Director of the Pew Environment Group’s Global Conservation Initiative

The panel focused on the consequences of the rapid loss of species and ecosystems around the world and was moderated by David Velinsky, PhD and Vice President of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Director of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research. The panelists discussed the importance of life-saving medicines derived from natural compounds that are used to treat cancer and other diseases, as well as the important links between global conservation and national security.