The ICCF Group and Legislatures

How the Caucus Model is Transforming Conservation Governance Around the World.

As a nonprofit organization on the global political stage, the ICCF Group is breaking ground, empowering hundreds of parliamentarians to reach across the aisle and sponsor legislation that, while covering a wide range of issues, shares a common purpose:

To strengthen a country’s legislative framework in a manner that isn’t exclusively good for the planet, but for economies and local communities as well.

In PictureMembers of the Mozambican Parliamentary Conservation Forum at a roundtable event organized by the ICCF Group to address penalties on wildlife traffickers in the framework of a bilateral agreement with Tanzania on the coordinated conservation and management of the Niassa-Selous Ecosystem.

Proven Results

Our work to share globally a legislative model with proven results in the United States has led parliamentarians abroad to embrace a new approach to governance, one characterized by nonpartisanship and a focus on topics on which political parties can find common ground.

Our Global Presence

A caucus is an informal group of members of a particular legislative body, organized around a shared policy interest or concern - in this case, conservation. The legislators do not need to be members of the related legislative committee or commission, as long as they are interested in the specific topic.

Priorities are identified and agreed upon by the parliamentarians. The ICCF Group provides support, growing the caucus within the legislature and catalyzing strategic partnerships and knowledge sharing between its policymakers and our extensive network.

In PictureCoast Guard officials brief members of the Colombian Oceans Caucus at a breakfast briefing hosted by the ICCF Group on the state of conservation and sustainable use of the oceans in Colombia.

The Most Popular Caucus on Capitol Hill.

Pioneered in the United States Congress in 2006, the International Conservation Caucus with the ICCF as its Secretariat became one of the largest and most bipartisan groups in the U.S. Congress, inspiring the adoption of the model internationally.

In PictureCongressional Hearing on the ties between U.S. National Security and wildlife trafficking, with Co-Chairs of the International Conservation Caucus.

Core Tenets

Conservation caucuses take on whatever form is deemed suitable to the host country, with a few central tenets that ensure success.

Nonpartisanship

The inclusion of all political parties ensures the democratic nature of conservation caucuses and fosters rich and productive dialogue on issues of conservation.

Nonexclusive

Membership in conservation caucuses is not “capped” at any particular number and remains inclusive of all political parties and backgrounds so that a constructive dialogue can be held and members can learn more about the positions held by their peers.

Member-Driven Agendas

While the Secretariat supports the caucus and stakeholders participate in caucus activities, the agenda and focus areas for all caucus meetings and activities are decided by the caucus members themselves.

Learn More: Download our Informational Guide

A space for dialogue

The caucus provides a space for dialogue between legislators holding differing policy positions through which they can explore innovative, nonpartisan solutions and achieve consensus, serves as a forum to provide access to the best conservation governance solutions, and offers opportunities for policymakers to experience conservation realities first-hand.

In PictureLaunch of the Multiparty Parliamentary Group for Conservation and Sustainable Production of the Congress of the Federative Republic of Brazil (Caucus Brazil).

While the caucus does not directly vote on legislation, its agenda and programs have immense impact on awareness and consensus-building within the legislature, advancing common understanding of the issues and driving policies forward.