Forests are among our most powerful allies in the fight against climate change. As the world races to halt and reverse deforestation globally by 2030, recognizing the role of the people who safeguard them is more critical than ever. At the UN Climate Summit (COP30) Leaders’ Summit in Belém, Brazil, governments and stakeholders unveiled three global commitments that recognize the conservation value of these communities and mark a significant step forward for forest protection. These pledges aim to scale up both forest financing and formal land rights for Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants and local communities. However, achieving these goals could face some hurdles. The process of getting legal ownership of land is typically complex and can take years. Without formal land deeds, forest guardians can face structural and institutional barriers to accessing the financing needed to sustain conservation efforts. One way to help turn these pledges into reality is through customary land rights recognition, which means recognizing that communities have the right to their traditional lands based on long-standing customs and ways of life, even without formal legal titles. Customary land rights can provide those already protecting forests with a pathway and structure to receive near-term funding and help lay the groundwork to secure long-term, formal tenure in the future.
Recognizing Land Rights Is Key to Forest Protection and Climate | World Resources Institute
