Conservation International is a nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The organization's mission is to protect nature, and its biodiversity, for the benefit of humanity.
CI is one of the largest conservation organizations headquartered in the United States, though its field work is done in other countries. It has 900+ employees, more than 30 global offices, and more than 1,000 partners around the world. Since its inception in 1987, CI has contributed to the protection of more than 260 million acres of land and sea — including places such as the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, the largest UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world.
From its origins as an NGO dedicated to protecting tropical biodiversity, CI has evolved into an international organization with influence among governments, scientists, charitable foundations, and business.
CI has been criticised for links to companies with a poor environmental record such as BP, Cargill, Chevron, Monsanto and Shell and for allegedly offering greenwashing services. CI has also been chastised for poor judgment in its expenditure of donors' money.
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