Scheme aims to disrupt deforestation by raising $125bn, investing it in bonds, with returns used to reward tropical forest nations for good behaviour
As a battle-scarred veteran of the war against nature, Garo Batmanian has spent 45 years trying to defend the Amazon rainforest. For most of that time, the resistance he leads has been outfunded and outgunned by those who profit from destruction. The most Batmanian felt he could achieve was to slow the advance of the chainsaws and tractors.
But the director-general of Brazil’s forest service feels there could be a chance at the Cop30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, next week, not just of an even fight, but perhaps a victory. There is one condition: world governments must rally behind an initiative being launched by the host nation – the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF).
“Before, I always felt we could keep the game close but we could never win,” he said. “But this is a game-changer.”
The TFFF is the biggest and boldest plan yet to staunch the loss of tropical forests that are a pillar of climate stability. Its success depends on buy-in from governments and financial institutions that until now have directed their funds towards destruction.
