I was delighted to join Shauna Matkovich on her Forest Invest podcast to talk about the changing conversation around forest finance and to share some reflections from this year’s New York Climate Week.
Shauna and I explored why I believe forests should be seen as essential infrastructure – not just beautiful landscapes, but living systems that regulate water, support agriculture, protect supply chains and store carbon. Like any critical infrastructure, they need continual investment and care.
We also discussed the growing momentum behind a portfolio approach to forest investment – protecting intact forests, halting deforestation and restoring degraded lands together. These aren’t competing solutions; they are all essential parts of a bigger picture.
Other highlights from our conversation included:
- Brazil’s $1 billion anchor into the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a major leadership moment for forest finance.
- The importance of equitable finance models that share both benefits and risks with communities.
- A welcome sense of optimism and collaboration replacing last year’s uncertainty.
- The idea of a “restoration generation”, a shared recognition that valuing nature is central to our collective prosperity.
It was such a thoughtful, energising conversation, thank you to Shauna for having me on.
As I said during the recording: “The biggest risk isn’t reversals, it’s delay.”
