Action deadline: March 16, 2007 Dear Alan,
**Stop cuts in funds that protect nature in developing countries.** For more than 20 years, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has made biodiversity conservation an important element in its broader efforts to promote development around the globe. But the Bush administration is reorganizing USAID, shrinking the biodiversity component and slashing the funding in its recent budget request to Congress. USAID funds support on-the-ground projects that manage natural resources, protect some of the world's rarest and most threatened species, and benefit local communities. Past projects have promoted marine conservation and sustainable fishing in the Galápagos Islands, and empowered Namibians to manage and benefit economically from rhinos, elephants and other wildlife. Maintaining strong U.S. funding for international wildlife conservation is a top priority for World Wildlife Fund. March 16 is the deadline for members of Congress to push for these programs. Urge your members to restore the funding. The good news is that the president's budget requested strong funding for implementation of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act and a big boost in funding for the Global Environment Facility, an extremely important international institution that supports conservation projects around the world. TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to support strong funding to protect nature around the globe. Hit "reply" and "send" in your email system and we will send the letter below on your behalf. NOTE: You can only take this action by replying to this email. This action is NOT posted on the Conservation Action Network website. You can make a big difference for our global environment. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Beth Allgood Congressional Liaison World Wildlife Fund Washington, D.C. ***************************LETTER TEXT************************** Dear (the names of your members of Congress 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 support $185 million for the biodiversity conservation programs of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), $165 million for the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and $20 million for implementation of the Tropical Forest Conservation Act in your personal request to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee for fiscal year 2008. USAID's biodiversity conservation programs are in serious jeopardy. The Bush administration's reorganization of USAID may severely cut or eliminate these programs, and the president's budget for fiscal year 2008 proposes a 35 percent reduction. Yet these initiatives are tremendously beneficial. They safeguard the habitat of threatened and endangered wildlife around the world, while also improving the economic and social well-being of local people. I appreciate the consistent past support that Congress has shown in funding these programs. 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 these mutually beneficial projects. The president's proposed budget has a significant increase over last year's funding, but much more is needed, because funding levels have dropped over the past few years and it's time for our country to catch up and pay back amounts we owe. 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 pays 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************************* Learn more about these programs by reading The International Conservation Budget: Building on America's Historic Commitment to Conservation: http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/ctt.asp?u=30516&l=137494 This report was prepared by World Wildlife Fund and three other conservation organizations to inform Congress about vital U.S. programs that fund conservation in developing countries. _____________________________________________________________________ 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 is dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and the rich biological diversity that we all need to survive. The leading privately supported international conservation organization in the world, WWF has sponsored more than 2,000 projects in 116 countries and has more than 1 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
