Minderoo Foundation invests US$10 million to protect the world’s tropical forests

06 Nov 2025 – Minderoo Foundation has invested US$10 million (A$15.4 million) of catalytic capital to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) – a landmark global initiative designed to mobilise long-term finance for the conservation and restoration of tropical forests.

The TFFF, launched under the leadership of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will create genuine economic incentives to protect tropical forests.

Dr Andrew Forrest AO, founder of Minderoo Foundation, made the investment at the Belém Climate Summit, the World Leaders’ Summit for COP30.

The contribution will catalyse support from other philanthropies, family offices, and private investors, mobilising additional capital to accelerate the TFFF’s goal of making forests worth more standing than destroyed.

“This is an investment, not a gift. This is patient, long-term philanthropic capital that should appeal to all investors of conscience,” said Dr Andrew Forrest AO.

“The TFFF will appeal to governments and institutions around the world who look for capital to be returned, achieving low but secured sovereign debt yields, with the major benefit of protecting the world’s rainforests.

“The TFFF protects the world’s great carbon sinks – nature’s own defence against climate breakdown – ensuring they continue to sustain life on Earth.

“Offsets have too often been used as a licence to pollute. They categorically do not work the vast majority of times they have been independently measured. This is the opposite. The TFFF makes forest protection a strong economic choice in favour of our environment – rewarding countries that actually keep their forests intact.”

The TFFF aims to raise US$125 billion through blended finance – combining public and private capital to deliver US$4 billion in annual results-based payments to tropical forest countries for verified forest protection. At least 20 per cent of these payments will flow directly to Indigenous peoples and local communities, strengthening local livelihoods and governance.

“Minderoo’s role as an early investor is about more than capital – it’s about leadership,” said John Hartman, CEO of Minderoo Foundation.

“Our investment will help de-risk the fund for institutional investors, helping to unlock up to four times more private capital.”

The investment aligns with Minderoo’s commitment to protect globally significant carbon sinks, safeguard biodiversity and strengthen Indigenous stewardship of nature.

“Funding for the conservation of tropical forests is too often derived from the sale of carbon offsets and this can be a license to pollute: Net Zero, not Real Zero.” Holly Buschman, Executive Director of Natural Ecosystems at Minderoo Foundation, added.

Minderoo will invest the US$10 million in the Tropical Forest Investment Fund which forms part of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF).

To date, Minderoo has committed more than A$150 million of impact investing capital from its Strategic Impact Fund and catalytic capital allocation across initiatives spanning Natural Ecosystems, Gender Equality, Communities and Plastics and Human Health.

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