On Tuesday 26 May, more than 50 representatives from global financial institutions and 30 policymakers gathered in Rotterdam for Inside the TFFF: An Exclusive Investor Convening, one of the first large-scale investor dialogues focused on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) and its potential to scale finance for the protection of tropical forests.
Discussions focused on the TFFF’s financial arm, the Tropical Forest Investment Fund or ‘TFIF’, its blended finance structure, the urgent need for fast innovation, and the importance of co-creation and collaboration between governments and private finance in supporting its success.
Co-organised by the Government of the Netherlands, Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, Robeco and WWF Netherlands, the event brought together leading voices from across finance and policy, and was endorsed by the TFIF Transition Committee, which is co-chaired by the Government of Brazil and the Government of Norway, and supported by the World Bank.
The programme included: keynote speeches from senior leaders across governments, finance, and conservation; technical discussions on the TFIF structure, processes, and financial design; and two interactive investor roundtables focused on building common understanding. The agenda also ensured insights into impact, success conditions and investor perspectives were shared.
Focusing on collective next steps to ensure the success of the TFFF, the event allowed participants to ask questions, share their vision, and co-develop mobilisation opportunities. Over 50 representatives from global financial institutions participated either online or in person, including: APG , BlackRock, Robeco, Barclays, Bank of America, Coöperatie Univé U.A., Ninety-One, PIMCO, Tribe Impact Capital, KLP, Ofi Invest, ING, Impax AM, ASR Nederland, AGRI3 Fund, Triodos Bank, Lion’s Head Global Partners, NN Group, Nomura AM, Nuveen, France Valley, Silva, Amazonia Impact, PGGM N.V. and Sail Investments.
Steven Collet, Dutch Vice Minister for International Development said:
“The TFFF has the potential to align finance, forestry policy and support for indigenous peoples and local communities around a shared objective: keeping tropical forests standing, forever.”
Mark Roscam Abbing, Dutch Vice Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature said:
“The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) offers an innovative approach to protecting tropical forests at a time when action is urgently needed. Today’s meeting is a unique opportunity to help unlock its full potential.”
Anita de Horde, co-founding executive director of the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, which coordinated the event, said:
“This convening marked one of the first times that such a large group of leading global investors came together with policymakers to discuss the development and the potential of the TFFF. The active participation and valuable contributions throughout the discussions demonstrated strong interest in the initiative and the potential to preserve tropical forests at scale.”
Peter van der Werf, Head of Active Ownership at Robeco, which hosted the event said:
“Innovation in fixed income strategies that address tropical deforestation—by bringing together public finance and private capital—is an area where Robeco is keen to contribute, including through hosting the TFFF Investor Convening. These efforts align with our science-based Climate & Nature transition plan and our clients’ interests, and demonstrate how we can work with governments and civil society to advance shared deforestation and climate goals.”
Key takeaways included:
- Increased investor engagement in co-creating the technical structure of the TFIF, including its potential role within the biodiversity finance landscape.
- Recognition of the progress made by the founders and co-chairs in developing a blended finance model and engaging with the investor community.
- Strong interest from investors in continued dialogue and co-creation with policymakers to help scale the initiative and maximise impact.
- Broad support for ensuring strong transparency, environmental and social safeguards, and meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
- Further discussions with investors and policymakers are expected in the coming months as momentum around the TFFF continues to build.
The TFFF could help deliver the enabling environment for nature protection that financial institutions, including members of the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, have been advocating for through public policy engagement, alongside existing anti-deforestation initiatives.
About the TFFF
The world continues to lose around 4 million hectares of tropical forests each year, damaging critical natural habitats and weakening our ability to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. We urgently need innovative financial structures to efficiently mobilise public and private capital towards the conservation of natural ecosystems at scale.
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is a global permanent facility launched by Brazil at COP30 and led by Brazil and Norway to scale the financing of tropical forest conservation. It provides a unique opportunity to support biodiversity and climate goals by using fixed-income investment earnings to pay eligible countries a fixed amount per hectare of conserved tropical rainforest, while maintaining its principal investment intact.
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is the proposed global financing mechanism designed to provide long-term funding for the protection of tropical forests, while the Tropical Forest Investment Fund (TFIF) refers to the investment structure through which public and private capital would be mobilised to support the Facility.
Join us
The next round of FfB Pledge signatories will be welcomed at the UN CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, taking place from 19–30 October 2026 (deadline for registration 30 September). If you have any questions or would like to explore the right engagement pathway for your institution, please don’t hesitate to reach out via info@financeforbiodiversity.org.
