$500 million for the forests that guard the climate: the Netherlands pays up to keep tropical trees standing

The Dutch government said on Monday it will contribute up to $500 million over the next decade to a new kind of climate fund — one that pays countries for what they do not cut down. The Tropical Forest Forever Facility is designed to reward nations that preserve their tropical forests, at an indicative rate of about $4 per hectare per year, with preservation checked by satellite imagery. The fund aims to grow to $125 billion, including around $100 billion of private investment, and by the Dutch government's estimate could help protect up to 900 million hectares of tropical forest. The Netherlands joins a coalition that already includes Brazil, Indonesia, the UK, Norway, France and Germany; the World Bank is developing the facility, with operations expected to begin by mid-2027. The idea is simple and long overdue: a standing forest, verified from space, becomes something a country is paid to keep.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: funding & finance