Conservation Charity With Industry Ties Active in Congress

Liberal magazine Mother Jones reports on congressional activity by a conservation charity with ties to both major environmental organizations and heavy industry.

The Washington-based International Conservation Caucus Foundation was launched by the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund, which make up its Advisory Council. Several Fortune 500 companies, including ExxonMobil, and trade group the American Petroleum Institute serve on its Conservation Council.

The foundation offers top donors entry to events with members of Congress’s International Conservation Caucus and, because its mission is officially educational, it can legally fund travel for lawmakers and their staff, including excursions to Africa and South America. Despite its association with major green groups, it has not taken stands on significant environmental issues such as climate change, according to Mother Jones.