World · Africa · 3 hrs ago
Forest rights funding exceeded its target, but direct support remains low
A group of donors delivered US$2.35 billion for forest rights between 2021 and 2025, exceeding a US$1.7 billion pledge made at the 2021 UN climate conference.
The money was intended to support Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world in securing their land rights.
But in 2025, only 7.2% went directly to community organisations, while most funding passed through intermediaries such as NGOs and development banks.
Funding was unevenly distributed: Latin America received 71%, Asia-Pacific 16% and Africa 13%.
Support for women and young people was also limited: 4% of 2025 funding prioritised gender equality, down from 15% in 2024, while less than 1% focused on youth.
The figures matter because underfunded regions remain vulnerable to aid cuts, deforestation and pressure from extractive industries.
Donors delivered US$2.35 billion for Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ land rights between 2021 and 2025, exceeding a US$1.7 billion pledge.
The pledge was announced at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Only 7.2 per cent of funding in 2025 went directly to Indigenous and local community organisations.
Funding was unevenly distributed, with 71 per cent going to Latin America, 16 per cent to Asia-Pacific and 13 per cent to Africa.
In 2025, only 4 per cent of funding had gender equality as a principal objective, and less than 1 per cent focused on youth.
- Who
- Donors in the Forest Tenure Funders Group supported Indigenous peoples and local communities.
- What
- They delivered US$2.35 billion for land rights, exceeding their US$1.7 billion pledge. Direct funding to Indigenous and local community organisations remained low.
- When
- The pledge covered 2021 to 2025. The report was published on 14 October 2026.
- Where
- Funding went to regions including Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, with most directed to major tropical forest basins.
- Why
- The pledge aimed to support Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ land rights.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Donors announced a US$1.7 billion pledge at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Donors delivered US$2.35 billion, exceeding the pledge target.
Donors provided about US$486 million, of which 7.2 per cent went directly to Indigenous and local community organisations.
- Total delivered
- US$2.35 billion between 2021 and 2025
- Pledge target
- US$1.7 billion
- Direct funding in 2025
- 7.2 per cent
- Regional distribution
- Latin America 71 per cent; Asia-Pacific 16 per cent; Africa 13 per cent
- Gender equality
- 4 per cent of 2025 funding had it as a principal objective
- Youth funding
- Less than 1 per cent of 2025 funding focused on young people
What people are saying
The pledge was good news, but the figure of the result doesn’t tell us how much actually reached the territories.
As we saw, a significant share of resources still flows through intermediaries, and when we look at the data we still see major inequalities in distribution by region and by country.
One of our key lessons is that direct funding can be highly valuable, but it is not inherently simpler or more effective.