Rainforest Foundation Norway presents:

Good news for the rainforest in 2024

These nine positive developments had us smiling during the past year.

Photo: Thomas Marent

By Rainforest Foundation Norway. Last updated 20. January 2025

Norway strengthens climate support for the rainforest

Norway continues its record-breaking support of NOK 4 billion for the protection of rainforests as a climate measure in 2025. The initiative was also extended by five new years to 2035.

Deforestation down by almost 31% in the Brazilian Amazon

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has decreased by nearly 31%. According to the Brazilian government, deforestation for the forest year 2023-2024 is the lowest in nine years.

Indonesia increases rainforest areas under Indigenous protection

Indonesia will protect an additional 15 million hectares of rainforest as part of a cooperation agreement between the Indonesian government and Bezos Earth Fund.

As much as 23% of the total area is dedicated to Indigenous forest protection, a tenfold increase in the areas under Indigenous protection today.

1.7 million hectares of rainforest protected in Indonesian Papua

Mamberamo Foja National Park, established in Papua, is now the second-largest national park in Indonesia.

Spanning 1.7 million hectares, this park will showcase how traditional conservation practices can harmonize with modern environmental governance.

River gets legal rights in Peru after pressure from Indigenous women

A Peruvian court recently ruled in favor of a group of Indigenous women and recognized the Marañón River as a legal entity with inherent rights. The river is subject to repeated oil spills, and now the Peruvian authorities and the oil company Petroperú must stop the pollution.

Rainforest Foundation Norway and our supporters have supported the Indigenous women through one of our Peruvian partners.

Indigenous Batwa people's right to the rainforest recognized

The Batwa people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo won significant recognition from the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, which condemned their forced evictions and made recommendations to remedy these human rights violations.

Rainforest Foundation Norway and our partners in the DRC have worked on this case for ten years.

Major victory for the protection of Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation in Peru

With the creation of the Sierra del Divisor Occidental indigenous reserve, 515.000 hectares of untouched tropical rainforest and several isolated Indigenous groups are now protected.

This victory came after 19 years of dedicated work by Rainforest Foundation Norway and our Peruvian partners.

China will require traceability of Brazilian meat

China, the primary export market for Brazilian beef, has signalled that it will soon require full traceability of meat imported from Brazil. Cattle farming is the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. China's signal is essential to achieving greater transparency in the beef supply chain. The next step is to demand that the meat is also deforestation-free.

Rainforest Foundation Norway has been advising Chinese companies to reduce the risk of Chinese beef imports contributing to deforestation in recent years.

Investors demand rainforest-friendly nickel

Thirty-one investors, with more than USD 2.7 trillion total assets, have signed a declaration that they expect electric car manufacturers to ensure that the nickel suppliers they use are deforestation-free and respect human rights.

Increased demand for key metals for the green transition threatens the rainforest. Investor pressure is essential to get companies to stop destroying it.

Rainforest Foundation Norway works with the investor group to ensure rainforest-friendly nickel in the production of electric cars.