I gotta call this out, too many small orgs like ours are bleeding precious capital this way. Savimbo was just invited to another "high-level strategic convening," the third this month, actually. For a summit fee of $5k.
There were three general themes: "Innovation in Market-Based Conservation, Community-Led Stewardship, and Cross-Sector Partnership for Global Impact."
Missing but relevant themes: "Conspicuous Consumerism, Talking when Action is Warranted, and Taking Advantage of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Looking for Funding".
We have a policy that continually saves our capital for action. We never "pay to play". We've been playing this global negotiating game for >3 years, and at first, I confess, we really did get suckered with the invites. I estimate we lost about $40k over the years to wealthy people inviting us to present at their events because it would be "good for us."
But the harsh and painful truth is that we were the entertainment and the beard, for groups that really are not reducing their consumption or sharing their resources. In other words, groups that do not accept the limits of growth, do not want to change, and want us to agree to that tacitly by showing up to beg for crumbs at the table.
We don't agree.
These climate "strategy" events are no different from the Met Gala or any other form of conspicuous consumerism. True, it does have a special flavor of obtuseness and hypocrisy, but it IS partying on the deck of the Titanic, and we can't afford it.
Savimbo is involved in, and truly globally symbolic of, the rapid, equitable, and efficient deployment of lifeboats.
So here's our filter: the serious players are already moving capital to the ground. They're buying credits. They find us off a targeted Google Search. They're funding the work, virtually, today. They don't host dinners, and they'd never want communities spending their own money on fine dining, international flights, and conference clothes.
We do a very high number of planet- or national-scale negotiations virtually from the jungle with Starlink. That's how it works now — if you're serious and you actually want tangible action.
So if you don't see us at a conference, that's why. We really, truly are doing something different.