Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tom Udall (D-NM), co-chairs of the Senate International Conservation Caucus, introduced on July 11th the bipartisan Defending Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals (DELTA) Act, a bill designed to encourage development of a strategy for conservation in southern Africa’s important Okavango watershed region.

The ICCF International Conservation Corps team is providing technical assistance on the redesign plan for Tayrona National Park's interpretation center.

H.E. Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, joined ICCF on June 12th on Capitol Hill to address members of the U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus and ICCF’s business and NGO partners.

Businesses and organizations are combating marine debris through innovative policies and partnerships to improve transparency and accountability in the seafood and business product and packaging supply chains. On June 7th, the Oceans Caucus Foundation and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation co-hosted an expert panel to discuss how their respective industries and organizations are working to protect our oceans.

Thanks in part to leadership by members of the Colombian Conservation Caucus, Colombia ratifies the 2013 Minamata Convention on Mercury after bill passing both chambers signed into law.

On May 29th, members of Mozambique's Parliamentary Forum for Conservation, led by the Committee on Environment, in collaboration with The ICCF Group, met to address and discuss conservation and good governance of natural resources in Mozambique.

On May 25, 2018, the Gabon Parliamentary Conservation Caucus, in collaboration with The ICCF Group, organized a capacity-building workshop for caucus members and other parliamentarians on conservation legislation and policies.

The President of the Senate, the Center for High Legislative Studies (CAEL), and ICCF Colombia are hosting a series of training workshops to strengthen the understanding of sustainable development and conservation in the Colombian Congress.

Public-private partnerships in Africa are essential to combat the wildlife trafficking crisis, protect wildlife and habitats, promote regional security, and provide economic opportunities for local communities. ICCF hosted Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, on Capitol Hill to discuss his organization’s successful model for public-private partnerships.

At a recent ICCF Kenya-facilitated meeting of the Parliamentary Conservation Caucus - Kenya (PCC-K), caucus co-chair Honorable Francis Chachu Ganya outlined priorities and a draft strategic plan for the caucus in a new Parliament.

A group of legislators from Colombia, Mexico, and Peru have unanimously adopted and signed the Declaration of Bogotá, an agreement regarding the role of legislators in the promotion and management of sustainable forestry.

Lack of traceability and enforcement in the seafood sector makes the commercial fishing industry particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. To examine these links, the Oceans Caucus Foundation hosted a panel of experts on Capitol Hill to discuss policy and security implications of global trafficking networks.

Members of the Colombian Oceans Caucus are learning firsthand the challenges facing Colombia’s oceans and coastal ecosystems. Caucus members recently visited Rosario National Reef and San Bernardo to observe conditions and discuss with local experts current work and future priorities regarding ocean conservation in Colombia.

In Gabon, The ICCF Group is working to improve the judiciary’s understanding of issues surrounding the illegal wildlife trade and give them the necessary tools to effectively handle cases involving wildlife and environmental crimes. On March 23, 2018, The ICCF Group organized a national workshop for magistrates from nine Gabonese provinces to strengthen their capacity to handle these cases.

The ICCF Group and ICCF Peru, on March 15-17, led a multi-party delegation of members of the Peruvian Conservation Caucus on a field mission to the Amazonian city of Tarapoto to observe conditions and meet with local experts.

Landmines remain a challenge to sustainable development and conservation in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, the Okavango watershed. On March 14th, ICCF hosted a panel of experts on Capitol Hill to discuss ways that Angola, home to the headwaters of this river system, can safely maximize the area’s natural potential.

Organized forest crime is a significant threat to natural resources in Malawi. As the country looks to address this threat, The ICCF Group facilitated a briefing with Malawi’s inter-agency body on wildlife crime and members of the Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (MPCC) to discuss opportunities for legal reforms.

In 2018, members of the Zambian Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (ZPCC) are poised to take action to address conservation challenges facing the inland African nation. To reorient the group and set priorities for the upcoming term, members gathered with leaders from government, the private sector, and civil society on February 26, 2018 in Lusaka for a day-long workshop.

The Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (MPCC), which garnered praise from the Speaker of Parliament for past efforts to work across party lines toward the conservation of Malawi’s wildlife, forests and environment, has launched its 2018 program of activities.

The Co-Chairs of the U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus and Oceans Caucus have identified priorities for the remainder of the 115th Congress, including addressing food security, conservation in southern Africa, and marine debris.