The Rainforest Alliance, CDP, Clarmondial, Conservation International, and USAID announce a transformational public-private partnership to reduce commodity-driven deforestation, contribute to global climate and biodiversity goals, and drive new investment in inclusive development across some of the world’s most important tropical landscapes.
This robust public-private partnership brings unprecedented reach in finance, markets, sustainability standards and large-scale landscape management. Over the next five years, Business Case will convene the private sector, governments, and local producers and organizations in some of the world’s most important tropical ecosystems and sourcing regions to address global environmental challenges associated with commodity-driven deforestation, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. Working in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia, Business Case will pilot a novel landscape approach that leverages the complementary expertise of its partners while benefiting local and indigenous communities and enterprises.
Global Challenges to Meeting Sustainability Commitments and Verifying Claims
Throughout the tropics, rates of forest and biodiversity loss are accelerating while the global impacts of the climate crisis are escalating. If tropical deforestation were a country, it would rank third in global emissions, behind only China and the U.S. Much of this deforestation is driven by the expanding production of key commodities, like coffee, timber, palm oil, rubber, and cocoa. If the world is to turn the corner from increasing tropical deforestation and accelerating global climate change towards a forest and climate-positive future that creates long-term local benefits, transformative solutions are needed that have the potential to unleash global change.
A system for Landscape Investment and Impact
Business Case will demonstrate a globally replicable approach to responsible investment and impact that aligns the interests of stakeholders to address the leading causes of tropical deforestation—the production of global commodities such as coffee, timber, palm oil, rubber, and cocoa. The initiative consists of three key components: the facilitation of multi-stakeholder landscape action plans and enhanced local capacity through the work of partners Rainforest Alliance and Conservation International; increased availability of cost-effective data on landscape and jurisdictional performance through the work of partner CDP; and the development of innovative financing mechanisms to support investment in high-performing landscapes through the work of partner Clarmondial.
The goal of the activity is to unlock international finance for sustainable production, channel it to well-planned landscapes, and ultimately stabilize critical deforestation frontiers. Through its support for this activity, USAID will advance the Agency’s new Climate Strategy, which aims to achieve significant reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, improved resilience to the impacts of climate change, and climate-positive reforms to USAID operations by 2030.
Projected impacts and results by 2026
- 12.1 Million tons of CO2 emissions reduced (forecasted reductions through 2030)
- 1.8 M hectares under improved natural resource management (NRM)
- More than 12,000 people with economic co-benefits, which will lead to improving livelihoods
- US$ 30 million mobilized
These impacts will be enabled by:
- More than 300 companies and investors with enhanced engagement in landscape sourcing, investing and strategy execution
- 70 institutions with enhanced capacity
- 27 innovative policy frameworks, standards, and tools to enable stakeholders to act
About the Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working in 70 countries at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests. The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. By bringing farmers, forest communities, companies, and individuals together it addresses some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges of today. The organization changes the way the world produces, sources, and consumes, with a focus on cocoa, coffee, tea, bananas, and other tropical commodities through its certification program, supply chain services, landscape management, and advocacy.
About CDP
CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions. Founded in 2000 and working with more than 590 investors with over US$ 110 trillion in assets, CDP pioneered using capital markets and corporate procurement to motivate companies to disclose their environmental impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests.
About Clarmondial
Clarmondial is an international investment advisory firm committed to mobilizing capital for nature-based solutions. Its team combines finance and environmental science backgrounds to deliver actionable, profitable, and innovative financing approaches. Clarmondial has proactively developed and implemented investment products such as the Food Securities Fund, which contributes to improved rural livelihoods, climate, biodiversity, and sustainable land management.
About Conservation International
Conservation International works to protect the critical benefits that nature provides to people. Through science, partnerships, and fieldwork, Conservation International is driving innovation and investments in nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, supporting protections for critical habitats, and fostering economic development that is grounded in the conservation of nature. Conservation International works in 30 countries around the world, empowering societies at all levels to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable planet.
About LandScale
LandScale is a collaborative initiative co-led by Rainforest Alliance, Verra and Conservation International LandScale drives improvements at scale by enabling the private sector, governments, and civil society to generate and communicate reliable information about landscape sustainability.
About USAID
USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID works to help lift lives, build communities, and advance democracy. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.
Contact Information
Caroline Bennett, Media Relations US, cbennett@ra.org
Paola Chacaltana, Communications Manager Business Case, pchacaltana@ra.org
Mark Higgins, USAID Biodiversity Division, mhiggins@usaid.gov