As your constituent and a supporter of the Wildlife Conservation Society, I am writing to urge you to sign onto a letter now circulating in the Senate that would increase funding for international conservation programs managed by the State Department, USAID, the Treasury Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and federal programs to meet the U.S. pledge of $1 billion annually to halt deforestation globally.

The climate crisis is becoming more dire every day. Intense storms, frequent forest fires, and rising sea levels pose a growing threat to U.S. national security as destabilizing forces wreak havoc on the most vulnerable communities and wildlife globally. Contributing to this crisis is the destruction of ecosystems that keep climate change in check. Deforestation, land use, and pollution are devastating natural environments and diminish nature’s ability to keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, filter water, promote arable lands, and provide habitats for wildlife.

The U.S. government has a number of programs that are crucial to addressing the crisis, and it is imperative that we step up our efforts before it is too late. I ask that you sign onto the following letters to the Senate Appropriations Committee that is currently circulating:

Senator Ed Markey is sharing a Members sign-on letter in support of funding for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund and USFWS International Affairs division.

The deadline for this letter is the end of May. Please sign on today to ensure that crucial funding is available to address the climate crisis and the staggering loss of biodiversity around the world. Thank you for standing up for wildlife and wild places.