We fight climate change by making the world's tropical forests worth more alive than dead.

Two decades ago, EDF and Brazilian partners pioneered the concept of paying those who reduce greenhouse gas emissions by preserving tropical forests. Today, that idea has blossomed into LEAF (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance), an innovative fund that aims to save large-scale tropical forests and help the Indigenous people who defend them. The coalition of three governments and 19 leading businesses has already mobilized an initial $1 billion, with much more to come. LEAF aims to launch a new international market for tropical nations to sell carbon credits to private companies, where the credits are tied to genuine and verifiable reductions in deforestation at the scale of whole countries or states.

Saving tropical forests is critical to the fight against climate change. They store and sequester vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and are home to many Indigenous peoples and forest communities. They also shelter and sustain more biodiversity than any other terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Ending forest loss, coupled with reforestation, could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25%.

“There is no way to stabilize the climate without protecting tropical forests,” says Steve Schwartzman, EDF’s senior director of tropical forest policy. “So we must make trees worth more alive than dead.”

What’s next?

Carbon markets could help the world double its emissions reductions at no extra cost and voluntary markets are booming. But many lack consistent standards and oversight. EDF experts are working on multiple initiatives alongside the Nature Conservancy, World Resources Institute, Conservation International, Oeko-Institut and many others to expand the use of voluntary carbon markets that use high quality credits and meet rigorous, global standards.