Indigenous Groups Guard 36% of Forests But Get Less Than 1% of Funding

With the COP30 climate summit set to take place in the Amazon, a glaring contradiction in climate finance is coming into sharp focus: Indigenous and local communities protect more than one-third of the world’s intact tropical forests, yet receive less than 1% of international climate funding.

This funding gap represents both a moral failing and a strategic blunder in the fight against climate change. Indigenous communities have proven to be among the most effective forest guardians on the planet, with their traditional lands serving as crucial carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots. Despite this track record, systemic barriers continue to block direct funding to these frontline defenders. Rigid eligibility requirements, administrative hurdles designed for large institutions, and complex donor processes effectively shut out grassroots Indigenous organizations from accessing the resources they desperately need.

The problem has been compounded by well-intentioned intermediary organizations that have sometimes become permanent gatekeepers, absorbing funds meant for Indigenous communities. Juan Julio Durand, a founding member of Junglekeepers who has helped protect 50,000 acres of Peruvian Amazon, exemplifies the kind of local leadership that often struggles to access international funding despite delivering measurable conservation results.

However, there are signs of hope. Some organizations are proving that intermediaries can actually clear pathways to funding rather than create obstacles, helping to shift power back to Indigenous groups while breaking through bureaucratic bottlenecks. As COP30 approaches, the pressure is mounting to transform this dysfunctional system and ensure climate finance reaches those who need it most.