The Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG) convenes the 25 bilateral and philanthropic donors who are part of the COP26 Pledge. Together, we aim to provide $1.7 billion by December 2025 to help advance IP and LC land tenure rights, and their role in sustainable forest management, and IP- and LC-led conservation efforts in ODA-eligible tropical forest countries.
As the COP26 five-year commitment concludes at the end of 2025, the FTFG is actively working to prepare a renewed commitment to be launched at COP30. We are happy to welcome new donors focusing on Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' forest and land tenure and conservation to this space and encourage interested donors to get in touch for a conversation.
The COP26 Pledge was created in response to findings that less than 1% of climate finance went to projects supporting IP and LC tenure and forest management between 2011 and 2020, with a much smaller portion going directly to IP and LC organizations. The FTFG is committed to increasing attention to and support for Indigenous and local community forest tenure and guardianship and improving direct support channeled to Indigenous and local community organizations.
Encouragingly, new research shows that this funding is increasing. From 2020 to 2023, global funding for Indigenous and local community tenure rights and forest guardianship grew by 36% from the previous four-year period; 72% of this growth was driven by FTFG donors.
We publish an annual report to remain transparent, track progress, and highlight both achievements and challenges. We hope this exercise supports partners, keeping them informed of and aligned in our efforts to meet the $1.7 billion goal and strengthen support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
2023 - 2024
2022 - 2023
2021 - 2022
2023 - 2024
2022 - 2023
2021 - 2022
We publish an annual report to remain transparent, track progress, and highlight both achievements and challenges. We hope this exercise supports partners, keeping them informed of and aligned in our efforts to meet the $1.7 billion goal and strengthen support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Throughout the pledge period, we have evolved our approach to remain transparent and accountable. Key learnings from our experience include:
Our work has brought attention to the critical need for funding that reaches Indigenous Peoples and local communities directly. In 2023, over 10.6% of Pledge funds directly reached Indigenous and local community organizations. This is a substantial increase compared to our reported 2% in 2021-2022.
As the first leader-level, global public recognition of the importance of tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the Pledge sent strong political, strategic, and financial signals for biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation.
At COP26 in November 2021, government and philanthropic donors committed $1.7 billion to help Indigenous Peoples and local communities secure their land and forest tenure rights. Known as the Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' Forest Tenure Pledge, this initiative spotlighted the critical importance of IP and LC rights and tenure security for advancing biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation. As the first explicit leader-level global public recognition of the importance of tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the Pledge sent strong political, strategic, and financial signals.
The COP26 Pledge is not an independent or pooled fund and does not have a central allocation mechanism. Each donor operates independently, funding activities that align with the goals of the Pledge according to their individual mandates and priorities. The FTFG has a rotating chair model, where the chairs consist of one philanthropy and one government donor. The FTFG has designated spaces to track progress towards its commitment and to learn and reflect on how best to support IP and LC rights. It meets quarterly to advance its priorities and engages in dialogue with a wider group of stakeholders, including IP and LC organizations and networks and tropical forest country governments. The group publishes annual reports to remain transparent and provide updates on its progress, highlighting both achievements and challenges.
Since COP26, funding has grown—including direct support to Indigenous Peoples and local communities—and the global landscape of forest conservation, climate finance, and their rights has shifted. We have seen the emergence of critical organizations, including the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples in Brazil, the Shandia Platform, and a number of Indigenous and local community funding mechanisms such as the Nusantara Fund, the Mesoamerican Territorial Fund, the REPALEAC Fund, Fundo Jaguatá, and the Indigenous Peoples of Asia Solidarity Fund. There have been critical advancements in rights recognition around the globe, including the acknowledgement of 13 new Indigenous Territories in Brazil, titling of over 1.9 million hectares for Indigenous Peoples in Peru, a historic bill on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the DRC, the implementation of Indigenous Territorial Entities in Columbia, and advances in Indonesia's social forestry program.
The Pledge aligns with broader commitments—including the Global Forest Finance Pledge (GFFP) and the Congo Basin Pledge (CBP)—to support forest conservation and climate change mitigation.
The Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG) convenes the 25 government and philanthropic donors who endorsed the COP26 Pledge. Together, we aim to provide $1.7 billion by December 2025 to help advance IP and LC land tenure rights, and their role in sustainable forest management and conservation efforts in ODA-eligible tropical forest countries.
The Pledge period runs from 2021 to 2025, and includes both allocated and unallocated funding (including new and existing initiatives), all of which was unspent prior to 2021. Reporting under the Pledge is for finance for work that supports the advancement of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' land tenure rights and forest guardianship for ODA eligible countries and for communities in and around forests. This includes projects that enable activities to secure, strengthen and protect land and resource rights; enhance Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' territorial and forest management, conservation, and/or governance; channel support to Indigenous Peoples' and local communities and their funding mechanisms; and promote international advocacy and communications on these issues.
As the first leader-level, global public recognition of the importance of tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the Pledge sent strong political, strategic, and financial signals for biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation.
The Pledge aligns with broader commitments—including the Global Forest Finance Pledge (GFFP) and the Congo Basin Pledge (CBP)—to support forest conservation and climate change mitigation.
At COP26 in November 2021, government and philanthropic donors committed $1.7 billion to help Indigenous Peoples and local communities secure their land and forest tenure rights. Known as the Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' Forest Tenure Pledge, this initiative spotlighted the critical importance of IP and LC rights and tenure security for advancing biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation. As the first explicit leader-level global public recognition of the importance of tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the Pledge sent strong political, strategic, and financial signals.
The Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG) convenes the 25 government and philanthropic donors who endorsed the COP26 Pledge. Together, we aim to provide $1.7 billion by December 2025 to help advance IP and LC land tenure rights, and their role in sustainable forest management and conservation efforts in ODA-eligible tropical forest countries.
The COP26 Pledge is not an independent or pooled fund and does not have a central allocation mechanism. Each donor operates independently, funding activities that align with the goals of the Pledge according to their individual mandates and priorities. The FTFG has a rotating chair model, where the chairs consist of one philanthropy and one government donor. The FTFG has designated spaces to track progress towards its commitment and to learn and reflect on how best to support IP and LC rights. It meets quarterly to advance its priorities and engages in dialogue with a wider group of stakeholders, including IP and LC organizations and networks and tropical forest country governments. The group publishes annual reports to remain transparent and provide updates on its progress, highlighting both achievements and challenges.
The Pledge period runs from 2021 to 2025, and includes both allocated and unallocated funding (including new and existing initiatives), all of which was unspent prior to 2021. Reporting under the Pledge is for finance for work that supports the advancement of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' land tenure rights and forest guardianship for ODA eligible countries and for communities in and around forests. This includes projects that enable activities to secure, strengthen and protect land and resource rights; enhance Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' territorial and forest management, conservation, and/or governance; channel support to Indigenous Peoples' and local communities and their funding mechanisms; and promote international advocacy and communications on these issues.
Since COP26, funding has grown—including direct support to Indigenous Peoples and local communities—and the global landscape of forest conservation, climate finance, and their rights has shifted. We have seen the emergence of critical organizations, including the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples in Brazil, the Shandia Platform, and a number of Indigenous and local community funding mechanisms such as the Nusantara Fund, the Mesoamerican Territorial Fund, the REPALEAC Fund, Fundo Jaguatá, and the Indigenous Peoples of Asia Solidarity Fund. There have been critical advancements in rights recognition around the globe, including the acknowledgement of 13 new Indigenous Territories in Brazil, titling of over 1.9 million hectares for Indigenous Peoples in Peru, a historic bill on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the DRC, the implementation of Indigenous Territorial Entities in Columbia, and advances in Indonesia's social forestry program.
Federal Republic of Germany
Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Children's Investment Fund Foundation
The Christensen Fund
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ford Foundation
Good Energies Foundation
Oak Foundation
Sobrato Philanthropies
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Arcadia
Bezos Earth Fund
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bobolink Foundation
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
International Conservation Fund of Canada
Nia Tero
Rainforest Trust
Re:wild
Rob Walton Foundation
Wyss Foundation
The Protecting Our Planet Challenge (POP) members signed the pledge as a group
Federal Republic of Germany
Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Children's Investment Fund Foundation
The Christensen Fund
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ford Foundation
Good Energies Foundation
Oak Foundation
Sobrato Philanthropies
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Arcadia
Bezos Earth Fund
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bobolink Foundation
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
International Conservation Fund of Canada
Nia Tero
Rainforest Trust
Re:wild
Rob Walton Foundation
Wyss Foundation
