- Investing in nature means investing in smallholders, women and Indigenous Peoples, and connecting capital directly with communities
- Technology and AI can accelerate a just transition – but only if it reinforces sovereignty, transparency and community agency
Belém, Brazil (19 November 2025) – On the sidelines of the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), thousands of people gathered in Belém, Brazil, and online to call on global climate finance to catalyze ecosystem restoration by connecting capital directly with communities to secure a future where nature and people thrive.
The 8th GLF Investment Case Symposium: Financing Nature’s Frontlines convened over 200 UN Climate Conference delegates in Belém and 4,140 participants online from 148 countries. It opened the doors of COP30 to a wide global audience of practitioners, investors, policymakers and business leaders looking to streamline economic benefits to smallholders and communities.
Throughout the day, discussions focused on transformative finance mechanisms, AI tools and strategies to bridge investment pipelines and erode silos and power imbalances. From biodiversity credits in Colombia to Brazil’s Tropical Forest Finance Facility, speakers highlighted how local, grassroots action is redefining the future of conservation and sustainable economies.
Shaping sustainable finance: Voices at the 8th GLF Investment Case
“Our ambition is very clear: to be a place of reference where impact, resilience and investments meet, where ideas become action and where nature-positive investments scale. We want Luxembourg to be a hub where innovative finance mechanisms are tested, refined and deployed, and where global partnerships are forged to accelerate change. Let’s work all together to build the pipeline, connect maturity stages and unlock capital for the landscapes that need it most. The future of nature-based investments depends on our ability to collaborate across sectors, cultures and disciplines,” – Serge Wilmes, Minister of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity and Minister for the Civil Service of Luxembourg
For sustainable management, we have to think of how to make forests valuable… TFFF will not and should not replace any source of funds. We are not saying this is the mother of all the facilities, and everybody else goes there. This is meant to complement and bring more money to support forests, because we need more money.” – Garo Batmanian, Director-General of Brazil’s Forest Service and the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF).
“I’m hearing this whole conference COP30) that carbon is the king. In my opinion, it is not, because we have to see this broader perspective that is a collective thing. What we call nature is a bunch of great assets: the biodiversity, the ecosystems and payment services.” – Bruna Rezende, Founder & CEO, IRIS
“My people have a saying in the Amazon that the man on the red doesn’t care about the green, which means that when you don’t have the economic means to resist your own territory, you’re forced to exploit the same nature that you depend upon. Because now the only asset that I have is trees. I’m going to sell them – I need money now.” – Gabriel Nunes, Science Lead, GainForest
“We’re talking about climate change in three years, but we don’t even have that much time. Seriously, people need to make big changes. Big investments. (…) We need to build a relationship of trust with those who are leading the fight against climate change. And Indigenous peoples are major players in this fight.”
“In the future, we will not need oil, money, gold, or any of that stuff. We will need water.” – Josimara Baré, Coordinator, Rutî Fund
“The challenges we face are interconnected, and so must our solutions be, inspired by the spirit of the Rio Conventions, which calls for inclusive and science-based action. Luxembourg is committed to deepening its engagement in this field. Finance must serve regeneration, not depletion. It must be rooted in values: inclusion, equity, stewardship and science-based decision making.” – Thomas Schoos, Director, General Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Luxembourg Government.
“CIFOR-ICRAF brings world-class scientific research, modeling and spatial analysis, while the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) offers trusted policy advisory roles, institutional capacity building and a commitment to delivering bankable project outcomes. Together with GGGI, we are building the pipelines, partnerships, and investments required to restore landscapes and drive inclusive, climate-smart growth.” – Beria Leimona, Theme Leader, Climate Change, Energy and Low-Carbon Development, CIFOR-ICRAF
The 8th GLF Investment Case Symposium forged new global connections and showcased how these partnerships are vital to accelerating progress toward our shared climate goals.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
- Photos from GLF Climate 2025 will be published soon on our Flickr
- Explore more press materials about the GLF at COP30 in our Media Room
- For more information, schedule interviews or obtain expert commentaries, contact Kelly Quintero (quintero@cifor-icraf.org)
ABOUT THE GLF
The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) is the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on integrated land use, connecting people with a shared vision to create productive, profitable, equitable and resilient landscapes. It is led by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with its co-founders UNEP and the World Bank, and its charter members. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org.
ABOUT THE LUXEMBOURG–GLF FINANCE FOR NATURE PLATFORM
The Luxembourg–GLF Finance for Nature Platform is a partnership between the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) to mainstream investments in sustainable land use and climate. The platform aims to shift financial flows towards sustainable land use models that are sustainable, equitable, inclusive and profitable not only boost economic returns but also to help drastically increase funding to combat climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation. Learn more at www.globallandscapesforum.org/luxembourg-glf-platform/
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