Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that 'nature-based solutions' and carbon offsetting used by corporations to achieve 'net zero' goals lead to land grabbing and the dispossession of indigenous and rural peoples. It highlights that the massive land requirements for these schemes—such as those proposed by Nestlé and Shell—threaten food sovereignty and risk co-opting agroecology, which the report presents as the only truly transformative way to produce food while cooling the planet.

The guide critiques the agribusiness investment model, highlighting how bilateral investment treaties and mechanisms like Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) prioritize corporate profits over state sovereignty and environmental protections. It details the negative impacts of industrial agriculture, including land grabbing, biodiversity loss, and high greenhouse gas emissions. As an alternative, the document promotes agroecology led by small-scale food producers, citing evidence that such methods can increase crop yields and enhance climate resilience while supporting food sovereignty.

The document argues that community forest management (CFM) is a more effective strategy for forest conservation and poverty reduction than industrial logging or strict state protection. It identifies seven key rights—state obligations, self-determination, consultation, territorial rights, livelihoods and economic development, women's rights, and cultural/traditional knowledge—and maps these against international legal frameworks to provide a tool for advocates to pressure governments for the legal recognition of community-led forestry.

The document critiques the framing of 'nature-based solutions' (NbS) as compatible with agroecology, asserting that NbS are instead used by corporate and financial interests to maintain industrial agriculture and create speculative assets. It contrasts agroecology's holistic, emancipatory approach with the NbS model, which focuses on carbon sequestration to justify 'net zero' distractions and the continued use of fossil fuels and synthetic inputs. The text highlights how NbS can lead to land grabs and the marginalization of small-scale producers, opposing the goals of land reform and food sovereignty.

The document argues that community-based forest governance (CFG) is essential for halting unprecedented forest destruction, which it attributes to consumerism, unfair distribution of goods, and colonial legacies. It defines CFG as the collective regulations and practices used by communities for the conservation and sustainable use of forests, contrasting this with 'forest science' models that often facilitate devastation. The report identifies key characteristics of successful CFG, including clear boundary definition, traditional resource knowledge, and participatory regulation. It highlights the critical role of women, who often possess distinct knowledge of non-timber forest products and water protection, and emphasizes that their inclusion is vital for holistic governance. Through various case studies, the document illustrates the struggle for land tenure and the impact of industrial pressures, such as palm oil in Indonesia and pulp production in Brazil. It further critiques the role of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and environmental services markets, arguing that the commodification of nature often privatizes heritage and marginalizes the poor. Finally, it links forest conservation to food sovereignty, public health, and disaster resilience, proposing a shift toward local production and fair timber markets.

The report argues that while state and private ownership still dominate global forests, community forest management (CFM) is a more effective strategy for forest conservation, poverty reduction, and climate mitigation. It identifies a set of key rights—including territorial, consultation, and cultural rights—that underpin successful CFM and maps these against 17 international agreements, such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and UNDRIP. The document concludes that while no single agreement mandates the creation of community forests, the collective weight of these international norms provides a strong legal and moral basis for states to devolve forest authority to local communities.

The fact sheet contrasts agroecology with 'nature based solutions' (NBS), asserting that NBS serves as a tool for agribusinesses and the finance sector to commodify nature and carbon. It claims that NBS focuses on narrow carbon sequestration metrics and specific practices like no-till farming to preserve corporate control, whereas agroecology seeks systemic change, food sovereignty, and land redistribution. The document warns that NBS integrates nature into corporate profit chains and provides carbon credits that allow fossil fuel corporations to pursue 'net zero' instead of real zero emissions.

The document critiques soil carbon farming as a mechanism for corporations and governments to offset emissions without making deep cuts. It contends that these schemes entrench industrial farming, facilitate corporate data grabbing, and marginalize smallholder farmers and traditional knowledge. The author asserts that soil carbon sequestration is technically unreliable, often overestimated, and cannot compensate for the long-term impact of fossil fuel combustion.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a global political framework adopted in 2014 and refreshed in 2021. It aims to halt natural forest loss by 2030 and restore 350 million hectares of degraded landscapes. The declaration identifies the conversion of forests for agricultural commodities—specifically soy, palm oil, beef, and paper—as accounting for approximately half of global deforestation. The NYDF asserts that achieving its goals could provide over 7 billion tons (CO2e) of cost-effective climate change mitigation annually by 2030, emphasizing the necessity of centering Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in these solutions.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a commitment to end natural forest loss and degradation by 2030 and restore 350 million hectares of forest landscapes. The declaration identifies agricultural commodities, infrastructure, and mining as primary drivers of deforestation and emphasizes the central role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in forest protection. Achieving these goals is framed as a cost-effective climate solution capable of mitigating over 7 billion tonnes of CO2e annually by 2030, supporting the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a statement of commitment to end the loss and degradation of natural forests by 2030. It identifies the conversion of forests for agricultural commodities—specifically soy, palm oil, beef, and paper—as accounting for roughly half of global deforestation. The declaration sets goals to eliminate deforestation from agricultural production, reduce impacts from infrastructure and extractive industries, and restore 350 million hectares of landscapes and forestlands by 2030. It emphasizes the central role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in forest protection and aims to reduce emissions in alignment with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit, potentially mitigating over 7 billion tons (CO2e) per year by 2030.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a statement of commitment to end the loss and degradation of natural forests by 2030. It identifies the conversion of forests for commodities—such as soy, palm oil, beef, and paper—as accounting for approximately half of global deforestation. The declaration sets specific targets for the private sector to eliminate deforestation from agricultural production and for the restoration of 350 million hectares of degraded landscapes and forests by 2030. It emphasizes that achieving these goals could reduce over 7 billion tonnes of annual CO2e emissions by 2030 and stresses the central role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in forest protection.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a statement of commitment to protect global forests, citing their role in supporting 80% of terrestrial biodiversity and absorbing carbon. The declaration sets specific targets for 2030, including halting natural forest loss, restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land, and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes the necessity of including indigenous peoples and local communities in governance and solutions to achieve these goals, which could mitigate 7.8 to 11.0 billion tonnes of CO2e annually by 2030.

The New York Declaration on Forests establishes a series of global targets to reduce natural forest loss by half by 2020 and end it by 2030, alongside goals for reforestation and the elimination of deforestation from commodity production.

The New York Declaration on Forests outlines goals to halve the rate of natural forest loss by 2020 and end it by 2030, while restoring hundreds of millions of hectares of degraded land. It emphasizes the role of forests in sequestering carbon to limit global warming to 2°C and targets the elimination of deforestation driven by commodity production such as soy, palm oil, and cattle.

The New York Declaration on Forests establishes a global framework to reduce natural forest loss by half by 2020 and end it by 2030. It targets the elimination of deforestation in commodity production (soy, palm oil, beef, and paper) and sets ambitious restoration goals for degraded lands. The declaration emphasizes the role of forests in sequestering carbon, supporting 1.6 billion people, and protecting 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, estimating that achieving these goals could reduce annual emissions by 4.5 to 8.8 billion tonnes by 2030.

The New York Declaration on Forests outlines a global strategy to halve the rate of natural forest loss by 2020 and end it by 2030, while restoring 350 million hectares of land by 2030. It identifies commodity production—specifically soy, palm oil, beef, and paper—as accounting for roughly half of global deforestation and argues that forest conservation is a cost-effective solution for limiting global warming to 2°C. The declaration commits to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, strengthening forest governance, and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples.

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) establishes a framework for global action to end natural forest loss and degradation by 2030. It identifies commodity-driven deforestation as a primary driver and emphasizes the central role of indigenous peoples and local communities in forest protection. The declaration sets specific targets for the private sector to eliminate deforestation from commodity production and aims to restore 350 million hectares of degraded landscapes. Achieving these goals is presented as a critical component of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, with a potential mitigation impact of over 7 billion tonnes of CO2e per year by 2030.

The world is off track to meet its 2030 forest goals, with global deforestation increasing by 4% in 2022. While some non-tropical regions met their targets, all tropical regions missed theirs, with Tropical Latin America and the Caribbean being the farthest off track. Primary tropical forest loss and emissions from deforestation also increased, while biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming rate. Forest restoration efforts remain fragmented and lack transparency, and forest degradation continues to pose a significant threat globally.

The IRMF Results Handbook outlines the GCF's approach to results-based management, focusing on measuring paradigm shift, mitigation, adaptation, and enabling environments. It defines core and supplementary indicators, establishes reporting requirements via Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and evaluations, and provides a structured methodology for setting baselines and targets to ensure portfolio-wide data aggregation.