The Billion-Dollar Kickoff
Brazil’s landmark pledge provides a boost to the TFFF ahead of COP30.
In this issue of Plans for the Planet:
Brazil commits US$1 billion to the TFFF, setting the pace ahead of COP 30 in Belém.
The World Bank steps in as trustee and interim secretariat.
Global endorsements surge from Norway, Germany, the UK, France, China, the EU, and the UAE.
New sponsors on the horizon: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and Japan emerge as potential funders alongside Brazil’s lead.
Landmark study shows over half of the world’s forests fragmented in just two decades
The TFFF event at the UN General Assembly, was a milestone moment for the initiative. Brazil officially committed $1B, the World Bank confirmed it will provide the financial backbone, and a wave of countries from both North and South lined up to endorse the initiative. Civil society groups applauded, new potential sponsor countries emerged, and even oil-rich nations signaled interest. The stage is now set for COP 30 in Belém.
Brazil goes first
At a high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly, Brazilian President Lula da Silva announced Brazil’s US$1 billion investment in the TFFF, making it the first country to put money on the table. Lula called TFFF “an investment into humanity” and promised that Brazil would lead by example, inviting partners to match the ambition.
World Bank on board
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank , confirmed that the World Bank will serve as trustee and interim secretariat host, handling the treasury, fiduciary controls, and transparent reporting so funds can flow predictably. He framed forests as “economic infrastructure” and praised Brazil for turning a bold idea into a market-ready plan.
Support poured in from potential sponsor countries
Endorsements were made by representatives from across the Global North and beyond.
🇳🇴 Norway’s climate minister Andreas Eriksen hailed the TFFF as a “game-changer”, applauding Brazil’s announcement and urging both traditional and new sponsors to help fund the junior tranche.
🇩🇪 Germany’s Jochen Flasbarth described the facility as groundbreaking and a long-overdue step toward fairness, signaling Berlin’s intention to contribute alongside Brazil.
🇬🇧 The UK’s Yvette Cooper welcomed Brazil’s move and pledged to mobilize private capital through the City of London.
🇫🇷 France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships of France, Thani Mohamed-Soilihi praised Lula’s leadership while stressing equitable criteria so that all tropical forest countries can benefit.
🇪🇺 The EU’s commissioner framed the TFFF as complementary to Europe’s deforestation policies and a foundation for a more resilient, sustainable world.
🇨🇳 China’s environment minister Huang Runqiu offered a rare public endorsement, expressing “high appreciation” for Lula’s leadership, welcoming the launch, and pledging Beijing’s support for a successful COP30.
🇦🇪 The UAE’s Razan Al Mubarak characterized the facility as “transformative”, reminding the audience that Abu Dhabi was among the earliest endorsers and reaffirming its intent to help turn the vision into reality.
New and unexpected backers
The support keeps rolling in. Just this week, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, countries more often known for blocking climate agreements, have expressed interest in investing. Their participation would not only broaden the facility’s capital base but also underscore that TFFF is shaping up as a truly global coalition.
Canada and Japan are also said to be preparing contributions of their own. According to Climate Home News, both countries could go as far as matching Brazil’s $1billion pledge. If confirmed, that would be a breakthrough moment, effectively locking in the sovereign junior tranche of $25 billion needed to leverage the additional $100 billion in private capital that underpins the TFFF model.
In addition, Denmark and Ireland neither of which were originally listed among TFFF’s sponsor countries announced pledges of support at the UN climate summit event, further expanding the facility’s base of backers.
NGO Statements
Major international conservation and environmental organizations have strongly endorsed the TFFF as a groundbreaking step for forest finance. The Wildlife Conservation Society praised Brazil’s leadership and highlighted TFFF’s potential to deliver sustained resources to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and tropical countries worldwide. Greenpeace welcomed improvements in governance and Indigenous participation, while urging stronger safeguards to ensure integrity and avoid harmful investments. FAO, and WWF emphasized TFFF’s promise as a simple yet powerful mechanism to unlock large-scale, long-term finance for standing forests, calling on governments and investors to join Brazil’s catalytic $1 billion commitment ahead of COP30.
TFFF Endorsements
“The TFFF will change the role of tropical forest countries in fighting climate change through real economic incentives. Its financial and institutional model was built with the support of the World Bank and international organizations and in consultation with civil society, indigenous peoples, and local communities. Its goal is to compensate countries that keep their tropical forests standing. The TFFF upholds the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.”
– Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, UNGA, New York, 24 September 2025
At the outset, I would like to express China’s high appreciation for President Lula’s leadership in advancing the TFFF process [...] China firmly supports multilateralism with the United Nations at its core. We are ready to strengthen international exchange and cooperation. We welcome Brazil’s initiative to launch this facility, and we look forward to it playing a positive role.”
– Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment, China,UN Climate Summit event, New York, 23 September 2025
“The President of France is accompanying Brazil for the introduction of this new, ambitious fund or facility. French specialists are working in favor of the facility to reduce deforestation. We must guarantee the environmental integrity of the facility. We must see to it that the criteria for attribution of remunerations are equitable so that all countries with tropical forests, whatever the level of development, can take advantage of the facility. We fully support Brazil with its ambition, which is putting tropical forests at the heart of international programs. You can continue to count on our commitment so that we can reach our common goals.”
– Thani Mohamed Soilihi, Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships of France, UNGA, New York, 24 September 2025
TFFF Watch
Last week, ahead of Brazil’s pledge to the TFFF, Plant-for-the-Planet launched TFFF Watch Beta, an independent research and transparency platform built on satellite data and the TFFF’s own rules that shows how much money each country would receive. We have also been tracking pledged investments, public endorsements, and media coverage around the TFFF. As it becomes operational, we will continue expanding this work monitoring which countries become eligible for payouts, and the fund’s impact. TFFF Watch is designed to ensure transparency, so that policymakers, journalists, and civil society can see clearly who benefits, who doesn’t, and why.
Explore data and new key endorsements on www.tfffwatch.org
TFFF News
Lula Announces $1 Billion Contribution to the Tropical Forests Forever Fund: “Brazil Will Lead by Example” COP30 Brasil, 24 September 2025
Billions for forest rescue: Brazil invests massively in rainforest protection, Kontrast.at, 27 September 2025
Indonesia Appreciates the TFFF Brazil Initiative, Emphasis the Importance of Integrity Design for Tropical Forest Financing, Forest Insights, 27 September 2025
WWF calls for investments in the TFFF following Brazil’s catalytic announcement, World Wildlife Fund, 23 September 2025
Plant-for-the-Planet’s TFFF Watch makes the new global forest fund transparent: Platform tracks which countries qualify for payouts, Plant-for-the-planet, 22 September 2025
Why tropical forest soils could supercharge global warming
Earth.com · 17 Sep 2025
A groundbreaking study by the U.S. Forest Service and Chapman University is challenging long-held assumptions about tropical forests. In Puerto Rico’s Luquillo Forest, soils heated by just 4°C released 42–204% more carbon dioxide. Instead of roots driving the loss, root biomass fell 30%, while microbes grew 50%, unleashing a surge of emissions. Even more alarming: microbes kept pumping out carbon regardless of further warming, a potential new climate state. With tropical soils spanning vast areas, forests risk flipping from carbon sinks to carbon sources, fast-tracking climate change.
Brazil’s first private Amazon road paves new trade route to China
Mongabay · 25 September 2025
Brazil has granted a 30-year private concession for a major stretch of the BR-364 highway in the Amazon to improve trade with China. The deal covers 686 km in Rondônia state, in Brazil, with a private consortium investing about R$10.23 billion (~US$2.1 billion) to upgrade, maintain, and modernize the road. Upgrades include duplicating lanes, resurfacing, adding rest areas, underpasses for wildlife, and better connections to river port terminals.Critics warn that this road expansion could spur new deforestation, illegal logging, land grabbing, and encroachment into protected or Indigenous lands.
The fattening forest: trees of the Amazon are getting bigger
Birmingham University · 26 September 2025
A new Nature Plants study finds that the average Amazon tree size has risen by 3.2% per decade over the past 30 years, largely due to CO₂ fertilisation. Data from 188 forest plots across South America show both large and small trees growing bigger, boosting the Amazon’s role as a carbon sink. Researchers stress that intact forests are thriving despite climate threats, but warn deforestation undermines these gains. Large, centuries-old trees remain irreplaceable for carbon storage, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
of the world’s forests fragmented in the past 20 years
Mongabay · 28 August 2025
A global study finds that between 2000 and 2020, 51–67% of the world’s forests became more fragmented, with 58–80% of tropical forests most affected. Fragmentation reduces biodiversity, disrupts wildlife movement, and weakens ecosystem resilience. However, the study shows protection makes a major difference: strictly protected tropical forests had 82% less fragmentation than unprotected ones. These numbers highlight both the scale of the crisis and the power of conservation, underscoring the urgent need to expand and enforce protected areas.
Explore the complete mongabay analysis.
Thank you for reading Plans-for-the-Planet.
If there are other TFFF news or updates we might have missed, please drop me a note at pakhi.das@plant-for-the-planet.org. We would love to include them in our next edition!