The Belém Investor Statement on Rainforests
Ahead of COP30 in Belém, 51 institutional investors from across the world, collectively managing more than USD 4.5 trillion in assets, have endorsed the Belém Investor Statement on Rainforests.
The Statement calls on governments to adopt and implement strong policies to halt and reverse tropical deforestation and forest degradation by 2030 — a critical step toward achieving global climate and biodiversity goals.
Investors warn that continued forest loss poses material financial and systemic risks to portfolios and economies worldwide. Protecting tropical forests is essential to safeguarding biodiversity, maintaining climate stability, and supporting long-term economic resilience.
About the Statement
- Investment portfolios linked to tropical forest economies face rising financial risks as deforestation and nature loss continue. The destruction of forests undermines the ecosystem services on which economies depend — such as water regulation, soil fertility, and climate stability.
- Protecting tropical forests is not only an ecological imperative but also a financial one to ensure long-term value and economic stability.
- Investors are prepared to align capital with the goals of the Paris Agreement, directing financial flows towards low-emission, climate-resilient development. Achieving this requires clear policy signals, enforceable laws, and international cooperation.
- The Belém Investor Statement on Rainforests sends a united message from global investors — spanning Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific — to governments in both tropical forest countries and those importing forest-risk commodities: adopt and enforce strong policies, regulations, and financial mechanisms to eliminate commodity-driven deforestation.
- In the lead-up to COP30, investors are also committed to addressing deforestation risks within their own portfolios and promoting sustainable, deforestation-free supply chains that support global climate and nature goals.
For more information, contact:
Tollak Bowitz
Senior Finance Sector Adviser, Deforestation-free Markets
(+47) 480 73 485
tollak@rainforest.no
