Climate 411

Jalisco’s Path to High-Integrity Jurisdictional Climate Finance: A Model for Climate Action and Territorial Justice

By Edgar Godoy / Published: June 19, 2025
Cloudy forest in Jalisco, Mexico

Clouds partially cover a forest in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Photo by Edgar Godoy.

This post was authored by Edgar Godoy, Associate Vice President for Jurisdictional Alliances, and Paola Bauche, Secretary of Environment and Territorial Development, State of Jalisco, Mexico.

As the urgency of the climate crisis intensifies, jurisdictional REDD+ approaches have emerged as a scalable, equitable, and results-based solution for tackling deforestation and forest degradation. In Mexico, the State of Jalisco stands out as a subnational leader, having developed and begun implementing a jurisdictional REDD+ model rooted in long-term vision, institutional strength, and a strong commitment to forest communities’ rights. In its role as strategic partner to the Government of Jalisco, Environmental Defense Fund has been providing targeted technical assistance, supporting the development of emissions baselines and safeguard frameworks, and bolstering Jalisco’s alignment with international best practices in high-integrity carbon markets.

With over 4 million hectares of forest cover, representing more than 50% of its territory, Jalisco’s forests are critical for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and the livelihoods of hundreds of communal land communities, called ejidos, and Indigenous communities. The state’s REDD+ Strategy, developed through inclusive, participatory processes, links forest conservation, restoration, land-use planning, and sustainable rural development. It aligns with Mexico’s national REDD+ framework and the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Forest protection, Indigenous People, International, Mexico, Paris Agreement, United Nations / Authors: / Comments are closed

Empowering Indigenous Voices: Bridging government, communities, and carbon markets in Kenya

By Edgar Godoy and Santiago Garcia / Published: April 15, 2025
Facilitators walk through carbon market principles, empowering IPLCs to advocate for their rights and interests.

Participants at a carbon markets workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. Facilitators walk through carbon market principles, empowering Indigenous People and local communities to advocate for their rights and interests. Photo by Diego Acosta-López/EDF.

Last week, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry of Kenya, MPIDO, and IMPACT, convened a transformative workshop in Nairobi that brought together government officials and representatives from Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs). The event marked a significant step forward in fostering meaningful dialogue, co-learning, and collaborative planning as Kenya positions itself within the evolving carbon market space.

This workshop equipped IPLC leaders with essential tools and knowledge to effectively engage in carbon markets, ensuring their rights are upheld and that they can benefit equitably from Kenya’s climate initiatives. EDF specialists led sessions on the fundamentals of carbon markets, robust monitoring and reporting systems, and the critical roles that both IPLCs and government institutions play in shaping a fair and inclusive market framework.

By the conclusion of the workshop, participants had collaboratively drafted a preliminary roadmap for IPLC engagement in Kenya’s carbon markets. This roadmap includes strategies for equitable benefit-sharing, participation in decision-making, and adherence to social and environmental safeguards.

Why this workshop came at a critical time
Kenya is at a decisive point in its climate leadership journey. In 2023, the country passed amendments to its Climate Change Act (National Assembly Bill No. 42), laying the legal foundation for participation in international carbon markets. The new framework enables Kenya to engage in bilateral carbon trading as well as global mechanisms under the Paris Agreement. In the same year, Kenya also signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the LEAF Coalition, signaling its commitment to pursue high-integrity carbon finance solutions that support forest conservation.

These policy shifts have generated growing interest among IPLCs, who recognize the potential of REDD+ and other climate finance mechanisms to contribute to sustainable development. However, they also raised important questions about rights protections, cultural preservation, and the long-term implications of these initiatives on traditional land-use systems.

The Nairobi workshop served as a foundational moment to ensure that IPLCs are not only well-informed but are active co-creators in the development of Kenya’s carbon market strategies.

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Forest protection, Indigenous People, Paris Agreement / Authors: , / Comments are closed

Forests and People – The Roots of Our Future

By Santiago Garcia and Bärbel Henneberger / Published: March 21, 2025

Kichwa woman harvesting cocoa in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Photo: Wiñak

Every year, the International Day of Forests reminds us of the indispensable role forests play in sustaining life. In 2025, the theme “Forests and Foods” sheds light on an often-overlooked reality—forests are not just scenic landscapes brimming with wildlife but fundamental to human survival. From food security and nutrition to livelihoods and ecosystem stability, forests are the backbone of our planet’s well-being.

While forests contribute only 0.6% of the global food supply, their importance goes far beyond calories. Forest foods are vital supplements during lean seasons and serve as safety nets for vulnerable households. Moreover, forests support 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, offering an invaluable reservoir of genetic resources that could help communities adapt to climate change. Access to wild foods diversifies diets and income sources, strengthening resilience in the face of environmental and economic shocks.

Forests are far more than economic assets; they are the silent architects of ecosystems and societies. Over a billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods, particularly Indigenous communities, who depend on them for food, shelter, medicine, and water. However, their significance extends beyond material resources. Forests are deeply woven into cultural identities, shaping traditional knowledge, fostering community, and strengthening local values through deep emotional and spiritual connections to the land.

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Ecuador Announces Milestone in Halting Tropical Deforestation

By Santiago Garcia / Published: January 29, 2025

Inés María Manzano, Minister of Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition of Ecuador and Eron Bloomgarden, CEO Emergent (LEAF Coalition) at the official signing event in Ecuador, January 29,2025. Photo by Santiago Garcia, EDF.

By Santiago García Lloré, Senior Manager of IPLC and Conservation Partnerships at EDF.

Ecuador is one of nine countries in the Amazon rainforest. It is also known as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world — its unique ecological heritage includes the famous Galápagos Islands.

Following Costa Rica, Ghana, and the State of Para in Brazil, Ecuador signed an Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) under the LEAF Coalition’s carbon finance framework to reduce 3 million tons of carbon emissions in exchange for $30M. (3 million tons of carbon emissions roughly equal the annual emissions of about 570,000 average passenger cars.)

The deal covers four Ecuadorian jurisdictions and is a shining example of deploying carbon finance that advances equitable participation from diverse groups. In Ecuador’s case, this process has resulted in the inclusion of Afro-Ecuadorian communities, who, like many other Indigenous communities in the region, have traditionally been marginalized. This showcases progress toward a more inclusive and representative model.

EDF has been privileged to support Ecuador in this journey over the past several years. Our efforts have focused on building the technical capacity, policy frameworks, and stakeholder engagement processes needed to bring this ambitious program to life. Here are a few things we’ve learned that are critical to ensuring integrity and bolstering climate ambition.

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Effective participation and engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at COP29

By Bärbel Henneberger / Published: November 22, 2024
Juan Carlos Jintiach from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, speaking on direct access to finanance for Indigenous People at COP29. Photo by Bärbel Henneberger.

Juan Carlos Jintiach from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, speaking on direct access to finanance for Indigenous People at COP29. Photo by Bärbel Henneberger.

This post was authored by Bärbel Henneberger, Senior Partnerships Manager at the Environmental Defense Fund. 

On November 21, COP29 celebrated Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP and LCs) as a thematic day in the Action Agenda of the Azerbaijani COP presidency. The day underscored the essential role of IP and LCs in safeguarding 80% of the world’s biodiversity and preserving 36% of intact forest landscapes.

To succeed in the fight against climate change, we must collaborate with IPs and LCs and respect their principles, culture, and methods while providing the support they need to further our shared conservation goals. We won’t succeed in conserving tropical forests without the partnership and leadership of IPs and LCs.

Climate conferences like COP29 offer a platform for IP and LCs to amplify their voices, and shape negotiations. It’s an opportunity for them to show the world how their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage their territories, which are some of Earth’s most important ecosystems, are critically important in the climate fight.

At COP29, IP and LC delegates spotlighted examples of effective participation in negotiations, policy frameworks, and innovative climate finance mechanisms. These efforts, though diverse, share a common goal: to embed Indigenous rights and knowledge systems into global climate action. Below are a few examples of Indigenous approaches to conservation efforts showcased during COP29. Critically, the world must continue to support, and learn from, these approaches well after the negotiations in Baku have ended.

Spotlight on LCIPP and the IP Caucus

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Also posted in Carbon Markets, Climate Finance, Forest protection, Indigenous People, International, Paris Agreement, United Nations / Authors: / Comments are closed

At COP29, Article 6 must deliver on urgent finance for forests and Indigenous communities

By Pedro Martins Barata and Santiago Garcia / Published: November 13, 2024

This blog was authored by Pedro Martins Barata, Associate Vice President, Carbon Markets and Private Sector Decarbonization and Santiago García Lloré, Senior Manager, IPLC & Conservation Partnerships, Forests

UN Climate Change, Kamran-Guliyev/ Flickr

At the start of COP29, negotiators in Baku secured a major breakthrough by agreeing on new standards for a UN-led global carbon market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, potentially unlocking billions in funding for climate projects.

But the terms of the standards are still flexible, meaning there’s a real chance to shape them to make sure the money goes where it’s needed most – like Indigenous Peoples and local communities who are fighting to conserve the planet’s last intact forests, known as high forest, low deforestation (HFLD) regions.

The stakes are higher now than ever, especially after the recent US election, which casts doubt on future public climate funding from one of the world’s biggest economies. In this uncertain landscape, carbon markets must step up to fund critical climate solutions, especially nature-based projects like forest conservation.

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