International Conservation & Biodiversity Team (ICBT)

Statutes

Date of foundation: 28 October 2022

Founding members: Purnima Devi Barnam, David B. Casselman, Dr Marie-Bénédicte Desvallon, Dr Laurent Dingli, Nani Fouad, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Dr Helen Kopnina, Andy Merk, Maheshi Nanayakkara, Panchali Panapitiya, Dr Sara Platto, Toots Silva, Linda Wong, Sonia Zapata.

Preamble: The de facto association "International Conservation & Biodiversity Team" (ICBT) was created in October 2021 by Dr Laurent Dingli with the aim of promoting international exchanges on the theme of biodiversity. It gradually became apparent that it would be desirable to give this organisation legal recognition. For this reason, Dr Dingli, a French writer, environmentalist and historian, and Ms Linda Wong, Deputy Secretary General of the China Biodiversity Conservation & Green Development Foundation (CBGDF), member of the IUCN, decided to formalise this foundation by creating an entity with an international vocation registered in France under the 1901 law on the right of non-profit organisations.

Statutes

Article 1. — Name: The International Conservation & Biodiversity Team (ICBT).

Article 2. – ‘Form: Association loi (Law) 1901.’

Article 3. — Duration: Indefinite, unless otherwise decided unanimously by the members of the organisation’s Board.

Article 4. — Registered office: at the office of the president of the organisation, Laurent Dingli, 41 avenue Foch 75116 Paris, France.

Article 5. — Purpose: The purpose of the non-profit organisation ‘The International Conservation Biodiversity Team’ is to facilitate contacts between the various stakeholders in the preservation of biodiversity at the international level and to promote both scientific knowledge and field action in favour of this preservation to the public by organising events and by distributing a magazine, Biodiversity MAG. The organisation is concerned with all issues relating to nature conservation, with particular emphasis on the protection of biotopes, the inclusion of local communities, the mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts, human-animal interconnection, respect for human rights and animal welfare.

Article 6. — Membership: There are four categories of membership. A founding membership; an honorary membership, reserved for people who have distinguished themselves in the course of their career for the protection of nature, biodiversity, human and animal rights; a partner membership, reserved for non-governmental and non-profit organisations, and a simple membership. In all cases, membership is acquired by joining the association and accepting its statutes. However, for the sake of independence and coherence, the Board reserves the right to reject the candidacy of applicants — individuals or institutions — whose positions and commitment are considered to be contrary to its values in terms of nature protection, human rights and respect for the animal. (For this right, see French Court of Cassation, First Civil Chamber, 9 July 2015, Appeal No. 14-20158). In addition, the organisation reserves the right to exclude a member who no longer respects the fundamental founding values mentioned above or who disrupts the activity of the organisation by his or her behaviour. In any case, the organisation is not obliged to provide an explanation for a refusal of membership. The exclusion will be decided by a simple majority vote of the members.

Article 7. — Membership fees: The amount of the membership fee is set by the Annual General Meeting by a simple majority vote. For the first year of operation, the membership fee is set at 10 euros for a single membership and 20 euros for the membership of a partner organisation.

Article 8. — General meetings: The members shall be convened at least once a year in an ordinary general assembly, upon invitation by the Board, which may organise extraordinary general assemblies, either on its own initiative or at the request of a member. To be valid, decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of the members present or represented. In the event of a tie vote, the President's vote shall be deemed to be the casting vote. Because of its international character, the association organises its general meetings remotely, by videoconference.

Article 9 — Board: The Board shall consist of three members, a president, a secretary general and a treasurer, to whom shall be added two assessors chosen from time to time according to possible needs. The candidates recruited from among the members of the organisation are appointed by the first ordinary general meeting for a one-year term of office, renewable at each expiry date by the following general meeting and so on. Honorary members have a de facto place on the Board. The Board shall meet as often as it deems necessary. It manages the organisation, prepares and draws up the agenda for the general assemblies to which it reports its deliberations and keeps the minutes of the association's assemblies (a written document summarizing the subject discussed during the meeting and, if possible, a recording).

Article 10 — A committee of experts has been set up. It will include academics as well as field experts from all disciplines of interest to the association.

Done in Crozon (29), France, and by videoconference, on 28 October 2022.