Forest tenure pledge beats target, but direct funding stays low

· Climate

Funders of the $1.7 billion pledge to support Indigenous peoples' and local communities' land rights, announced at the 2021 UN climate conference, say they exceeded the target by 35%, delivering $2.35 billion between 2021 and 2025. The final report of the Forest Tenure Funders Group confirms the headline figure was surpassed, but notes that direct funding to Indigenous and community organizations remains a small share of the total, with much of the money routed through intermediaries. The gap matters because tenure security is widely treated as one of the cheapest ways to curb deforestation and store carbon. The report lands as donors reassess aid budgets and as forest-loss rates remain high in several tropical regions.

Why it matters：The pledge is a test case for whether climate finance actually reaches the communities best placed to protect forests, shaping how donors design the next round of nature funding.

Key points

  • $2.35bn delivered between 2021 and 2025, 35% above the $1.7bn target.
  • Direct funding to Indigenous and community groups remains a small share.
  • Pledged at the 2021 UN climate conference by the Forest Tenure Funders Group.

Sources (original reporting)

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