---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 09:27:39 -0500 (EST) From: WWF Conservation Action Network <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Protect Nature Around the Globe SEND ACTION~a29401u30516
Action deadline: March 16, 2006 Dear Alan, President Bush has proposed huge cuts in key programs that protect animals and habitat across the globe, including tropical forests. Now is the time to tell your members of Congress how important these initiatives are to you, before the March 16 deadline for members of Congress to push for these programs. The president wants Congress to slash funding for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a little known but extremely important international institution that supports conservation projects around the world. The GEF has helped prevent conflicts over scarce water resources in the Nile basin, expand the use of renewable energy in Mexico, and eliminate dangerous pesticides in Africa. The United States has repeatedly underpaid what it has pledged to the GEF. Now, the president wants to make even deeper cuts. In addition, the president wants to reduce by more than half the funding for implementation of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act. On the positive side, the president has requested level funding for international biodiversity conservation programs funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. TAKE ACTION: Learn more and urge your members of Congress to support strong funding to protect nature around the globe. * QUICK OPTION: Send the message below, as is, by simply replying to this email. (This option works only if you received this email directly from the Conservation Action Network.) * POWERFUL OPTION: Personalize your letter. Go to the address below and follow the instructions for adding your own thoughts to your message. Decision makers pay much more attention to personalized messages. http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/ctt.asp?u=30516&l=117961 If you have any questions or problems with taking action, contact us for help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] DO EVEN MORE: -- Forward this alert to your friends and colleagues. -- Call your members of Congress and make the main points from the letter below. You can reach your legislators via the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Beth Allgood Congressional Liaison World Wildlife Fund Washington, D.C. ***************************LETTER TEXT************************** Dear (your representative's and senators' names will be inserted here): As your constituent and a concerned citizen who believes the United States has an important role to play in protecting nature around the globe, I urge you to push for $107.5 million for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), $165.5 million for the biodiversity conservation programs of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), and $20 million for implementation of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act in your personal request to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee for fiscal year 2007. The GEF is the largest international funding source for activities aimed at protecting the world's atmosphere, international waters, and biological diversity. Since its inception in 1991, the GEF has helped more than 150 developing countries, supporting projects to conserve natural resources, phase out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals, and encourage the proliferation of renewable energy technologies. The United States and 31 other countries contribute funds each year to support this crucial environmental work. Unfortunately, the president's request of $56.25 million for fiscal year 2007 is inadequate to do the job. Unless Congress adds significantly to this request, other countries that contribute to the GEF will rightfully blame our country for undercutting the world's efforts to protect biodiversity and natural resources. Equally important and in need of your support are USAID's biodiversity conservation programs. These efforts protect the habitat of threatened and endangered wildlife around the world, while also improving the economic and social well-being of local people. I support the president's request of $165.5 million and appreciate the consistent past support that Congress has shown in funding these programs. The $20 million I urge you to request for implementation of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act will protect these valuable ecosystems while simultaneously easing the foreign debt burden of developing nations. Since its enactment in 1998, the act has protected millions of acres of tropical forests and countless rain forest species. While I realize that our federal budget is tight, I believe it is particularly important to support a healthy environment around the globe. Empowering people to sustainably manage and utilize their natural resources will pay huge dividends in promoting a more secure and peaceful world. I urge you to do all you can to ensure that these initiatives receive the support they need to achieve their critically important missions. Sincerely, Your name and address will be inserted here **************************END OF LETTER TEXT************************* _____________________________________________________________________ You received this message because [EMAIL PROTECTED] is an activist with the World Wildlife Fund Conservation Action Network. _____________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] from [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word REMOVE in the subject line or you can unsubscribe at http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/unsubscribe/index.asp. _____________________________________________________________________ Direct any questions about the WWF Conservation Action Network to [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________________________________ The Conservation Action Network is sponsored by World Wildlife Fund-US. Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF has 45 years of proven results in its mission to conserve the miraculous diversity of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries on more than 2,000 projects, supported by 1.2 million members in the United States. WWF calls on everyone -- government, industry, and individuals -- to take responsibility by taking action to save our living planet. World Wildlife Fund 1250 Twenty-fourth Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 http://www.worldwildlife.org http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org
