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Home » Issues » Climate

Climate

Resilience and nature-based solutions

What's at Stake

Droughts. Floods. Shorter growing seasons. Economic insecurity. Famine. For farmers and forest communities around the world, climate change poses daunting challenges—and disproportionately impacts poor rural communities who depend on the land to live. In today’s hyper-connected world, fighting climate change and building resilience to its impacts is urgent for us all.

Learn more about...


  • Climate resilience
  • Climate-smart agriculture
  • Regenerative agriculture

Forests, Agriculture, and Climate

Almost a quarter of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, forestry, and other land use—with the main culprits being deforestation and forest degradation, along with livestock, poor soil management, and fertilizer application. Agriculture drives an estimated 75 percent of deforestation.

Our Impact


Research shows that certified farmers implement more sustainable practices that can help them adapt to and prepare for climate impacts. These practices can improve soil quality, conserve water, increase native vegetation and carbon storage—and all while increasing productivity on existing farmland.

More Trees and Ground Cover Mean More Carbon Stored

150 Tons of Carbon

per hectare stored in trees on Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee farms in Nicaragua, compared to 82 tons per hectare on non-certified farms*

These coffee farms in Nicaragua boast a high basal area, which means there is a considerable number of large and old trees, as well as a high percentage of ground cover—all of which increases carbon storage. Ground cover also provides wildlife habitat and helps control soil erosion.

*Based on the following study: Haggar, J., G. Soto, F. Casanoves, and E. de Melo Virginio (2017). Environmental-economic benefits and trade-offs on sustainably certified coffee farms. Ecological Indicators, 79: 330-337.

Shade Trees for Climate Resilience

20 Shade Trees Per Hectare

on Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa farms in Ghana, compared to 4-5 shade trees per hectare on non-certified farms*

Certain crops like cocoa and coffee grow beautifully under the shade of larger trees, which are key to climate-smart farming, in part because they help to stabilize temperature and moisture. These certified farms in Ghana increased the number of native trees over a five-year period to achieve 40 percent shade cover, while their non-certified counterparts tended to remove trees.

*Based on the following study Fenger NA, Bosselmann AS, Asare R, de Neergaard A. (2017). The impact of certification on the natural and financial capitals of Ghanaian cocoa farmers. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 41(2), 143-166. DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2016.1258606.

Our Work: Climate


The Rainforest Alliance has long worked to conserve tropical forests—a vital defense against climate change—by partnering with forest communities on improved land management practices. We also train farmers in climate-smart agriculture methods, helping them to adapt to current climate impacts and prepare for future challenges. All our work focuses on protecting forests and land in ways that strengthen local livelihoods.

Article

What Are Natural Climate Solutions?

Forest conservation, restoration, and improved land management practices increase carbon storage and avoid GHG emissions.

Learn More
coffee-farm-nicaragua-header.jpg
Article

What Is Climate-Smart Agriculture?

Climate-smart agriculture combines sustainable methods to tackle the specific climate challenges of a specific farm.

Learn More
deforestation-header.jpg
Article

Why Our Forests Are Burning

The answer is complex, but at the root of it all: a destructive combination of climate change and reckless land use.

Learn More
regenerative agriculture project in Indonesia
Article

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

For farmers, sustainability is a journey. The destination? Regenerative agriculture.

Learn More

All resources for Climate


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Organizational Updates

Rainforest Alliance Vision 2030

Connected crises threaten our future—from the climate emergency and spiraling biodiversity loss to chronic rural poverty and human rights challenges. We need a systemic approach—a transformative... View more

Published on May 9, 2023
Available in: English, Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, French, German

The Business Case: An Initiative to Contribute to the Reduction of Deforestation in Colombia

The Rainforest Alliance launched the initiative Business Case for Collective Landscape Action (The Business Case) to tackle deforestation in Colombia

Published on May 5, 2023

Videos

Why Do We Need Rainforests?

No matter where you live, you need rainforests. Why? They help purify the air we breathe. They send vapor into the air, making it rain—not just locally but thousands of miles away. Rainforests are great allies in the fight to slow climate change, too, as they absorb vast quantities of human-made carbon emissions. Rainforest plants provide the basis for medicines that treat everything from toothaches to childhood leukemia. Rainforests are also home to millions of Indigenous and local peoples who live in harmony with nature.

Published on March 16, 2023

Videos

Can We Grow Food in Harmony with Nature?

What if farming not only fed people, it also nourished the land? With regenerative agriculture practices, farming can do just that. Planting native trees and shrubs, for example, improves soil fertility; improving soil fertility makes crops more productive and resistant to pests; eventually, pesticides can be eliminated.

Published on March 16, 2023

A snail on the forest floor between ferns in Darjeeling, India.
Article

Our Integrated Pest Management & Pesticide Approach

What can be done to reduce this reliance on pesticides and the negative consequences of pesticide use? A practical and cost-effective answer is integrated pest management (IPM).

Published on December 22, 2022

Videos

Helping Cocoa Farmers Build Resilience to Climate Change in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

We help local farmers embrace climate-smart growing techniques designed to adapt to and prepare for common climate threats—from unpredictable weather patterns to outbreaks of crop pests and disease.

Published on December 6, 2022

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The Rainforest Alliance is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-3377893.

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In 2021, 77% of our income supported sustainability programs. Learn More »

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