Brazil has launched the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a new initiative designed to place forest protection at the center of global climate efforts. Announced during a summit in Belém ahead of COP30, the fund aims to reward countries that successfully halt deforestation, making standing forests more valuable than cleared land.
The facility could channel up to $4 billion annually to as many as 74 countries, including key tropical forest regions such as the Amazon, the Atlantic Forest, the Congo Basin, the Mekong region, and Borneo. Countries conserving their forests will receive $4 per hectare per year, with payments verified via satellite monitoring.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the critical role of tropical forests, calling them “vital to climate stability, biodiversity, resilience, and peace.”
Brazil has committed $1 billion as inaugural funding. 20% of payments will go directly to local communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples and forest guardians. Five tropical forest nations—Colombia, Ghana, DRC, Indonesia, and Malaysia—have already joined, while investor countries such as Germany, France, Norway, the UAE, and the UK are expected to contribute, leveraging private finance to potentially generate $4 billion annually.
Despite these efforts, UNEP estimates that global forest finance must rise from $84 billion in 2023 to $300 billion by 2030, highlighting a funding gap. The fund represents a bold step toward fair, predictable financing that rewards conservation and supports local communities.
COP30 runs until 21 November, bringing together leaders and stakeholders to advance climate action, with tropical forests, finance, and nature-based solutions at the forefront.
