WWF congratulates Brazil and partners including Norway, Indonesia, Colombia and endorsing tropical forest countries for their visionary leadership in launching the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). The bold investments announced yesterday have brought the Facility’s initial capitalization to over $5 billion.
“This is a landmark moment for nature and climate finance,” said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General, WWF International. “We applaud Brazil’s leadership and the commitment of all countries that have stepped up to protect the world’s tropical forests and the communities that depend on them through this transformative fund. The TFFF is a gamechanger: it rewards countries for keeping their forests standing. It channels funding directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the true stewards of our forests. And it’s designed for scale, sustainability, and impact, combining public, private, and philanthropic finance to protect over 1 billion hectares of tropical forests in over 70 countries.”
WWF welcomes the endorsement by tropical forest countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indonesia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Colombia and Suriname. Together with Brazil, these countries make up a majority of the world’s tropical forests.
The announcement signals a paradigm shift in nature and climate finance, where tropical forest countries are increasingly leading the way in innovation and ambition and governments that historically have been aid recipients are taking the lead as investors.
WWF appreciates the contribution of countries to support the setup of the TFFF. We are disappointed that several potential sponsor countries that have been part of the Interim Steering Committee helping Brazil design the TFFF did not step up today to match the leadership shown by other countries. We call on these and other countries to come forward with billion dollar commitments in the TFFF without delay.
WWF has been a committed partner in the development of the TFFF, providing technical, policy and advocacy support. WWF remains fully engaged in ensuring the Facility delivers on its promise of equity, transparency and impact.
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“The TFFF is already a defining legacy of the Belém COP, not only for Brazil, but for the entire planet, especially the Global South, home to the world’s major tropical forests. It brings together, in an unprecedented way, the responsibility of governments, the role of local populations, and the strength of the financial sector around a shared goal,” said Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director, WWF-Brazil, adding:
“As WWF, our role is to ensure that this initiative becomes lasting, effective, and transformative, a turning point in how the world finances nature conservation and recognizes the importance of
forests for life and the economy.”
The TFFF rewards countries for maintaining forest cover and delivering global benefits like carbon storage, biodiversity, clean water, and climate resilience. One of the most commendable aspects of the TFFF is that at least 20% of payments will flow directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, potentially making the TFFF the largest direct international funding source for those who have long been the most effective stewards of tropical forests.
This launch is just the beginning. The initial $5 billion committed is critical seed capital that lays the foundation for a long-term, scalable solution. WWF calls on other governments and private investors to join this transformative initiative. With tropical forests disappearing at alarming rates – in 2024 alone, we lost 6.7 million hectares of primary rainforest, an area roughly the size of Vietnam – the need for bold, collective action has never been more urgent.
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This article was originally published by WWF and is republished here as part of an editorial collaboration with WWF.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Vlad Hilitanu.
