Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) analyses the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a hybrid investment fund led by Brazil to be launched at COP30. FoEI argues that the TFFF's 'blended finance' model, which offers US $4 per hectare for forest preservation, commodifies nature and prioritises private investor returns over the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The paper warns that the facility may create a 'vicious cycle of debt' for Global South countries and calls for direct financial reparations and land reform instead of profit-driven conservation schemes.

• The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is a hybrid investment fund led by Brazil, planned for launch at COP30 in November 2025, designed to mobilise private finance for rainforest conservation by making preservation economically competitive with deforestation.
• The TFFF uses a 'blended finance' structure where 20% of capital comes from public funds and philanthropy to attract 80% in private investment, proposing a fixed payment of US $4 per hectare of preserved forest to 'Tropical forest countries' (TFCs).
• FoEI argues that the TFFF's payment structure prioritises financial profitability, ensuring returns for private and public investors before any funds reach the countries preserving the forests.
• The facility's financial architecture may create a 'vicious cycle of debt' because the returns used to pay TFCs for conservation are largely derived from the debt payments made by developing countries to international investors.
• FoEI criticises the TFFF's governance for reproducing colonial asymmetries, noting that the World Bank serves as trustee and secretariat, and that strategic decision-making is concentrated among Northern investors and International Financial Institutions (IFIs).
• While the TFFF allocates at least 20% of payments to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), FoEI considers this insufficient and warns that the use of government intermediaries may lead to the imposition of market logic or the marginalisation of dissenting groups.
• The TFFF is positioned as complementary to REDD+ and carbon markets, which FoEI claims reinforces 'false solutions' and the financialisation of nature rather than addressing the root causes of deforestation.

APA

Torres, L. F., Fandel, G., Masson, L., Marien, N., & Ortiz, L. (2025). Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FoEls-analysis-of-the-Tropical-Forest-Forever-Facility_EN_single-pages_v5.pdf

Chicago

Torres, Lyda Forero, Ghislaine Fandel, Lise Masson, Nele Marien, and Lucia Ortiz. Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility. Friends of the Earth International, 2025. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FoEls-analysis-of-the-Tropical-Forest-Forever-Facility_EN_single-pages_v5.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Torres |first1=Lyda Forero |last2=Fandel |first2=Ghislaine |last3=Masson |first3=Lise |last4=Marien |first4=Nele |last5=Ortiz |first5=Lucia |title=Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=October 2025 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FoEls-analysis-of-the-Tropical-Forest-Forever-Facility_EN_single-pages_v5.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{torres2025friends, author = {Torres, Lyda Forero and Fandel, Ghislaine and Masson, Lise and Marien, Nele and Ortiz, Lucia}, title = {{Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FoEls-analysis-of-the-Tropical-Forest-Forever-Facility_EN_single-pages_v5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }