Statement on UK Decision Not To Invest In TFFF

Earlier today news was released that the UK government does not intend to invest in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility. In response CfN’s Director Brian O’Donnell released the following statement:

Brian O’Donnell, Director of Campaign for Nature, said:

Campaign for Nature is deeply dismayed by reports that the United Kingdom will not invest in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). The Prime Minister making this announcement on the eve of COP30 undermines Brazil’s headline nature goal for the COP. 

Wealthy countries like the UK have been calling for years for greater involvement from the private sector to help protect the world’s vital rainforests with the development of investment-based approaches rather than grants. This is exactly what Brazil has done with the TFFF, in collaboration with the UK government and British financial institutions, along with Indigenous leaders and delegates from many countries. Yet despite this, the UK government has now decided not to make the essential start-up investment to get the facility up and running. 

This is not only a moral failure, it is also economically and strategically shortsighted: Any investment in the TFFF is not a grant - it will earn interest for the UK government, while helping safeguard the forests that provide services essential to national security and to the UK economy. Supporting international nature is also popular across UK voter groups. 

It is completely disingenuous for any official to claim the UK is “incredibly supportive” of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility and will “continue with efforts to unlock private investment” when it is precisely this moment when the UK’s public capital is needed to unlock private investment under the TFFF model. 

The UK once led on this agenda, hosting COP26 in Glasgow and championing forest protection. Today’s decision represents a massive retreat from that leadership. Keir Starmer is now stepping away from the top table, jeopardising decades of goodwill and soft power with the Global South via the UK’s forest partnerships. 

However, the TFFF will launch tomorrow with or without the UK. The Belém Climate Summit will serve as the start line, not the finish line, for commitments to invest in the TFFF, and we congratulate those who were bold enough to come with financial commitments. We also congratulate the Brazilian government, tropical forest countries, as well as Indigenous People and Local Communities who have worked tirelessly to deliver this once-in-a-generation solution.   

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Notes to Editors:

For further questions or comment please contact: media@campaignfornature.org

About the TFFF

The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is a groundbreaking global investment initiative spearheaded by Brazil to permanently fund the conservation of tropical forests. With a target of raising USD 125 billion, it aims to become the largest forest fund in history. 

The TFFF proposes a truly exciting paradigm shift. By valuing standing and restored tropical forests, the TFFF will mitigate a market failure by assigning a value to and paying for the ecosystem services provided by tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.

The TFFF complements other forest finance initiatives as it rewards conservation while providing returns to investors; empowers Tropical Forest Countries, IPLCS and other forest stewards with long-term, large-scale, predictable finance; and creates an unprecedented global financial incentive to protect standing tropical forests, instead of destroying them.