Adaptation Investments Offer High Returns but Remain Undervalued, WRI Finds

A new World Resources Institute analysis of over 320 adaptation projects reveals average returns of 27%, with many delivering benefits even without climate shocks. Yet most investment cases still fail to account for co-benefits like improved productivity, health, or emissions reductions. The study finds that better data, clearer frameworks, and reframing adaptation as a development driver—not just a climate cost—are key to unlocking more funding.

💬 Can reforestation and ecosystem-based adaptation projects better attract finance by proving their full economic value?

👉👉 Read more from the World Resources Institute

New Amazon Protected Area Secures Biodiversity and Indigenous Land Rights with Global Funding Boost

Peru has officially established the Medio Putumayo-Algodón Regional Conservation Area, protecting 283,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest rich in carbon and biodiversity. The designation was made possible through support from global backers including the Bezos Earth Fund, Andes Amazon Fund, Re:wild’s Art into Acres, and Conservation International. Co-created with 16 Indigenous communities, the effort strengthens land tenure, counters deforestation, and links a 1.8 million-hectare conservation corridor.

💬 Can forest protection initiatives elsewhere attract similar high-impact funding by centering Indigenous leadership and transparent planning?

👉👉 Read more in Conservation International

Togo Pledges CFA11 Billion to 2025 Reforestation Drive

Togo has launched its 2025 national reforestation campaign with a bold investment of CFA11.18 billion, aiming to plant 37.7 million trees across 34,563 hectares. This marks a major step toward the country's ambitious goal of planting one billion trees by 2030 and increasing forest cover to 25%. The campaign kicked off with 2 million trees planted on day one, and coincides with public events to raise awareness around pollution and sustainable development.

💬 Can bold national commitments like Togo’s reshape forest futures in West Africa?

👉👉 Read more in Togo First

UNHCR Launches Climate Fund to Support Refugee Reforestation and Clean Energy Access

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has announced the launch of the Refugee Environmental Protection (REP) Fund, an initiative to scale up reforestation and clean cooking programs in climate-vulnerable refugee-hosting areas. The fund aims to plant tens of millions of trees and deliver clean energy access to hundreds of thousands of people over the next decade. Through carbon credit certification and revenue reinvestment, the fund seeks to create a sustainable financing mechanism that links displaced communities to global climate action. Projects will prioritize safety, ecosystem restoration, and job creation, with a focus on high-integrity carbon standards and alignment with host country priorities.

💬 Can nature-based climate solutions also deliver safety and economic security in displacement contexts?

👉👉 Read more at UNHCR

FXIFY and WeForest Reunite to Expand Tanzania Reforestation Efforts

FXIFY has renewed its partnership with WeForest for a second consecutive Earth Day campaign, aiming to plant over 15,000 trees in Tanzania’s Butiama Hills. Last year’s initiative restored 14 hectares of degraded land with 15,400 trees, engaging over 5,000 traders and capturing an estimated 1,330 tonnes of CO₂ over 20 years. The 2025 campaign continues to link trading with ecological action—each funded challenge purchased results in a new tree planted. WeForest’s project focuses on assisted natural regeneration, biodiversity gains, and sustainable livelihoods, including agroforestry and beekeeping training for women.

💬 Could more corporate-trader partnerships fuel large-scale ecosystem recovery?

👉👉 Read more in Fox40

$11 Million Recovery Fund Supports Reforestation After Mosquito Fire

Placer Resource Conservation District (RCD) has secured over $11 million in grant funding from CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service to support reforestation and hazard mitigation on private, non-industrial forestland affected by the Mosquito Fire in Placer County, California. The funding will go toward dead tree removal, site prep, and erosion control, with free technical assistance offered to landowners. The RCD is encouraging affected property owners to apply for support as they prepare their land for recovery and potential replanting.

💬 Could targeted state and federal support for private landowners become a cornerstone of post-fire reforestation strategy?

👉👉 Read more in Placer RCD

Carbon Markets Cross $100B Threshold, but Challenges Remain, Says World Bank

The World Bank’s State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025 reports that carbon pricing revenues hit a record $104 billion in 2023—marking a tenfold increase since 2016. While this milestone reflects growing global momentum, the report warns that pricing levels remain too low to meet Paris Agreement goals. Less than 5% of emissions covered by carbon taxes or trading systems are priced high enough to drive significant decarbonization. Meanwhile, countries are adopting more complex carbon pricing frameworks, including interactions with voluntary carbon markets and new sectoral approaches.

💬 As carbon markets expand, how can tree planting projects ensure their credits are both credible and equitable?

👉👉 Read more in the World Bank report here

Rainforest Trust Offers Ongoing Funding for Protected and Conserved Area Creation

Rainforest Trust is inviting applications from nonprofit organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities to help create or expand protected and conserved areas in tropical and subtropical regions. Since 1988, the organization has supported over 400 projects, protecting more than 55 million acres to date. It offers two main types of support: Feasibility Awards (typically ~$10,000) and larger Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards, with no set funding cap. Eligible projects must focus on unprotected areas that hold global significance for biodiversity or climate mitigation and must align with national and community priorities. Application deadlines for larger awards fall on March 1, July 1, and October 1 annually.

💬 Could this model of direct area protection funding be a blueprint for scalable conservation?

👉👉 Read more from the Rainforest Trust

Restor and Mangrove Breakthrough Team Up to Boost Mangrove Restoration Transparency and Investment

Restor.Eco and the Mangrove Breakthrough have partnered to track and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030, while aiming to unlock $4 billion in investment. The collaboration merges digital infrastructure with science-based monitoring, using Restor’s open-data platform to map and assess global mangrove efforts across biodiversity, carbon, and land-use indicators. This shared infrastructure will help mature projects connect with mission-aligned investors. By aligning with Global Mangrove Watch and Capital for Climate, the partnership raises the bar for trust, accountability, and community involvement in nature-based solutions.

💬 Can better transparency and open data help scale global ecosystem restoration efforts?

👉👉 Read the press release from Restor

ERS Acquires Equitable Earth to Elevate Community-Led Forest Conservation Standards

The Ecosystem Restoration Standard (ERS) has acquired Equitable Earth, a forest carbon standard built by Indigenous and traditional leaders to redirect climate finance toward the people safeguarding global forests. With Equitable Earth’s rigorous methodology and community-first framework, ERS aims to bring high-integrity REDD+ credits to market—blending cutting-edge data tools with grounded consultation. This acquisition brings forest protection, restoration, and Indigenous leadership under one carbon standard. The move comes amid urgent warnings: tropical forest loss surged 80% last year, making equitable, science-based solutions more critical than ever.

💬 Can carbon markets earn public trust by centering Indigenous voices and scientific transparency?

👉👉 Read the press release from ERS

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