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business opportunities and supportive policy reforms
that could boost private investment in trees and land-
scape restoration and bring grass-roots re-greening
initiatives to the next level of impact and scale.
At a glance
The World Bank Group is the largest source of multi-
lateral financing for forests. IBRD and IDA assistance
to the forest sector has averaged US$327 million a year
during the last three years. The IFC invested US$195
million in eight projects related to forest use in its
2011 fiscal year. With other multilateral development
banks, the World Bank also serves as an implementing
agency for the Global Environment Facility (US$19.5
million for forests in 2011) and the Forest Investment
Program (about US$630 million pledged) under the
Climate Investment Funds.
payments to countries that meet certain targets. It is the implement-
ing organization, together with other multilateral development
banks, of the Forest Investment Program, and is financing pilot
investments through the BioCarbon Fund, a public-private initia-
tive that mobilizes resources for pioneering projects that mitigate
climate change and improve local livelihoods.
The World Bank Group recognizes that the private sector and
individuals play a key role in shaping tomorrow’s landscape. In
order to succeed, our initiatives must benefit first and foremost the
indigenous peoples, forest-dependent communities and smallholder
farmers who depend on natural resources for their survival and live-
lihood. We also encourage responsible corporate investments across
the forest products supply chain through its private sector arm, the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), and aim to create a more
level playing field for legitimate forest-sector enterprises by provid-
ing technical assistance in the area of forest law enforcement and
governance. We are working with a range of partners to identify
In order to succeed, initiatives must benefit first and foremost the indigenous peoples, forest-dependent communities and smallholder farmers who depend on
natural resources for their livelihood
Image: Kyle O’Donoghue/World Bank