The Coalition for Rainforest Nations is an intergovernmental organization established by forested tropical counties to collaboratively reconcile forest stewardship with economic development. The Rainforest Coalition aims to bring together both developing and industrialized nations for the purpose of creating community-driven, environmentally sustainable growth. The primary strategy of the Coalition is to bring about the reform of international frameworks, both legal and economic, to correct market failures that result in unsustainable outcomes, and to create economic incentives for the preservation of areas of high biodiversity and endemism worldwide. The Coalition supports the Forests Now Declaration calling for changes in the Kyoto Protocol and other international carbon markets to include land use and forestry. The Coalition has been instrumental in the establishment of the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and the United Nations' UN-REDD program. Further, based upon these efforts by the Coalition, various industrialized countries have currently pledged around US$3.0 billion for capacity building and incentives to reduce rates of deforestation in participating developing countries.
The Coalition's website defines its objectives as developing policies and tools which assist in achieving sustainablity for both forests and neighboring agricultural lands. Additionally, the CfRN
seeks to manage tropical rainforests in a way which supports climate stability, conserves biodiversity, and helps development and poverty alleviation efforts
assists in crafting new financial tools in cooperation with governments, communities, businesses, and other interested parties
helps to find ways to allow sustainable livelihoods while also improving living standards in communities which depend on rainforests
sets a path which enables similar results in other countries with tropical rainforests.
Initiatives
The CfRN operates multiple initiatives in pursuit of its objectives.
Fund
The REDD+ Catalytic Fund provides "bankable up-front funding" for nations attempting to finance ways to reduce their greenhouse gas outputs. The REDD+ program, started in 2005 by the UNFCC, offers financial rewards for nations which achieve proven results in gas reductions; however, it offers no assistance to reach that goal. The CfRN sees the REDD+ Catalytic Fund as complementary to funds which pay for results.
The National Green House Gas Inventories attempt to reflect a nation's total emission of gases which contribute to global warming and climate change. It also shows how much CO2 is being absorbed by rainforests, which offset to some degree a nation's total output. These inventories are required from members of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. As a part of the UNFCC and Paris Agreement, National GHG Inventories show how much progress a nation has made in reducing its GHG output and how much further it has to go to achieve its goals. The CfRN has provided technical assistance to member nations in preparing their National GHG Inventories. Members which have successfully submitted their inventories include Belize, Panama, Papua New Guinea, and the DR of the Congo, as well as others.
Member nations
As of 2019, the Coalition for Rainforest Nations comprises the following 53 nations:
