How much is Germany committing to protect the Amazon rainforest?
About a dozen environmental groups are urging German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to specify a concrete sum for a rainforest fund he announced last week at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil.
During his visit to Belém, Merz announced a “substantial sum” but did not specify a concrete figure. The German government has since emphasized that details are still being reviewed.
For Brazil, the fund, known as the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), is a flagship project that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as host, wants to highlight as a success of the conference.
Expectations of Germany as a donor country are high.
A letter signed by a total of 13 organizations, including Germanwatch, Deutsche Umwelthilfe and Plant-for-the-Planet, stated that as the third-largest economy, Germany should announce an investment of at least $2.5 billion during COP 30.
Ideally, Germany should match its close partner Norway, which has announced its intention to contribute $3 billion to the fund over 10 years.
Brazil and Indonesia have each pledged $1 billion. Both countries host extensive tropical forests.
Under the fund’s model, countries that preserve their forests will receive rewards, while those that allow deforestation will face penalties.
According to Brazil’s estimates, the fund, with a target volume of $125 billion, could distribute around $4 billion annually after an initial start-up period, nearly three times the current volume of international forest financial aid.
