At the 1992 Rio Earth Summit in Brazil, the nations of the world agreed as part of the Forest Principles to provide financial resources for conservation efforts in developing countries with significant forest areas. Yet for more than three decades, the international community has struggled — and largely failed — to fulfill that commitment, particularly to developing nations with tropical rainforests. These tropical forests are home to a majority of the planet’s biodiversity, play a crucial role in combating climate change and are critical to people’s livelihoods. Between 2002 and 2022, according to Global Forest Watch data, the world’s tropical humid primary rainforests shrunk by 8%, losing an area equivalent to nearly the size of Pakistan. This magnitude of loss has continued unabated, except in a few key tropical rainforest countries such as Brazil and Indonesia. The basic challenge continues to be one of simple economics: Cutting and clearing natural forests for timber and agriculture is generally more profitable than leaving trees standing. Conventional business practices are not designed to tangibly value and reward the conservation of forests, or their biodiversity and ecosystem services. Combined with continuing global demand for commodities, harmful subsidies in many countries, and weak and/or corrupt forest governance practices, this dynamic has increasingly degraded and destroyed the Earth’s tropical forests.
What is the Tropical Forest Forever Facility? | World Resources Institute
