A new $50 million outcome bond aimed at financing Indigenous and traditional community-led forest conservation projects in the Amazon has been unveiled by Everland, with support from BNP Paribas. Announced at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City, the initiative seeks to deliver high-integrity carbon credits and measurable climate, biodiversity, and community benefits under the emerging Equitable Earth Standard.
The bond will support the launch of 20 REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) projects across the Amazon, with a particular focus on areas within the Jaguar Corridor—landscapes identified by Panthera as critical to preserving jaguar populations and maintaining ecological connectivity. These regions are also home to many Indigenous communities, whose stewardship is essential to preserving biodiversity and slowing deforestation.
“For generations, our communities have protected the forests because we understand that our survival — and the survival of all life — depends on them,” said Chief Uraan Anderson Suruí, traditional leader of the Paiter Suruí People. “This initiative creates a direct path for Indigenous and traditional peoples to access the financing we need to protect our territories, strengthen our cultures, and secure our future.”
The outcome bond will function as a results-based finance model. If conservation efforts succeed in reducing deforestation, they will generate verified carbon credits over the projects’ 40-year lifespan—credits which could generate more than $1 billion within the first decade. These funds will be directly shared with communities, in line with the Equitable Earth Standard’s mandatory revenue-sharing principles.
Constance Chalchat, Global Chief Sustainability Officer at BNP Paribas Corporate & Institutional Banking, noted: “Indigenous knowledge, combined with sustainable financial mechanisms, is essential to driving long-term investments that deliver measurable and lasting climate, biodiversity and community outcomes.”
The bond is structured by BNP Paribas and managed by Everland, which will oversee project selection, due diligence, and development. Everland will also lead the marketing of the resulting carbon credits on the international market.
Gerald Prolman, Executive Chairman of Everland, said: “Early-stage funding remains one of the biggest barriers to advancing REDD+ projects. This initiative unlocks financing to launch 20 transformative, Indigenous-led forest conservation projects that can deliver measurable climate, biodiversity, and social outcomes.”
The initiative is supported by advocacy organisation Global Citizen, which has partnered with the Equitable Earth Standard to promote forest-based climate solutions. Michael Sheldrick, the group’s Co-Founder, said: “Deforestation may begin as a local crisis, but the ripple effects threaten us all. The effort to protect the Amazon, led by Indigenous communities, will protect the earth’s most critical life source for generations to come.”
Projects under the bond must meet high standards for environmental integrity, including rigorous third-party verification of emissions reductions. Each carbon credit will represent one tonne of CO₂ avoided, with reductions tied to the prevention of deforestation. These credits are intended to help companies meet net-zero commitments while supporting community-driven conservation.
Frédéric Launay, President and CEO of Panthera, praised the initiative’s alignment with long-standing conservation goals. “By placing the ownership of Amazon forest conservation in the hands of Indigenous and traditional communities, this bond brings us one step closer to realising the vision of the Jaguar Corridor.”
Beto Borges, Chair of the Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities Guidance Council at the Equitable Earth Coalition, added: “This initiative has the potential to deliver what many Indigenous communities have long called for—equitable finance that acknowledges and values their essential role in protecting some of the world’s most critical remaining forest ecosystems.” The announcement comes ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where forest finance and Indigenous leadership are expected to be central themes. The partnership aligns with Brazil’s ambition to secure major investments for rainforest protection, reinforcing the role of private finance in supporting community-led climate action.
