Terry Slavin asks whether the Leaf Coalition, a private-sector driven partnership that has raised $1bn for tropical forest countries, can unlock the flood of funding needed, when Brazil and Indonesia are refusing to take part
Terry Slavin looks at the LEAF coalition, an initiative backed by the U.S., Britain and Norway that aims to channel carbon-offsetting finance into saving tropical forests
The state of Mato Grosso’s pioneering Produce, Conserve, Include’ strategy is working to transform farmers into allies in the fight against deforestation, but it needs more financial support from outside Brazil, reports Mark Hillsdon
Unilever is leading efforts to invest in projects to make entire districts deforestation-free in partnership with NGOs like IDH, while Rainforest Alliance is starting to apply its seal to products with palm oil, write Terry Slavin and Mark Hillsdon
Tom Johnson of The Gecko Project warns that truly sustainable palm oil in Indonesia may be out of reach without confronting corruption, undue influence and abuse of power
With the launch later this month of a new platform to trade REDD+ forestry credits, there are hopes the oil major’s $300m investment will kickstart demand for nature-based solutions to climate change. Terry Slavin reports
Frances Seymour of World Resources Institute explains how the UN report confirms the importance of protecting forests in global strategies to fight climate change
Eric Marx looks at how initiatives such as AFR100 and the Cocoa & Forests Initiative in Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire are tackling land tenure issues, food insecurity and poverty to try to stop rampant deforestation
With forests rapidly losing their capacity to regulate the climate, countries have to urgently step up finance for REDD+ and companies must implement their zero-deforestation commitments. Terry Slavin reports
This month we look at the ESG risks that could put the brakes on uptake of renewable energy and electric vehicles, and the burning issue of land rights
Eric Marx looks at Democratic Republic of the Congo, where REDD+ projects have been criticised for failing to uphold the rights of forest communities, raising concerns about the success of the program globally
The biggest food brands require suppliers to adhere to principles of free prior and informed consent, but implementation is thin on the ground, reports Eric Marx
New research on progress towards ending deforestation by 2030 shows funding is woefully short, while indigenous groups say their role as protectors of the forest is under increasing threat
The Community Climate Biodiversity Standard used in the Bio-Bridges programme is an ecosystem services approach that demands stretching standards for community involvement and biodiversity