In the bustling city of Belem, situated on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, a flurry of international attention has turned toward one of the world’s most critical environmental frontiers. On November 5, 2025, two high-profile leaders—Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Britain’s Prince William—unveiled bold new initiatives aimed at protecting the Amazon’s future and the people who defend it.
President Lula, never one to mince words, spoke forcefully about the need to move beyond the old model of conservation funding. "I don’t want to say the word donation any longer," he told reporters ahead of the United Nations’ climate summit, COP30, which kicked off in Belem that week, according to the Associated Press. "Someone gives us $50 million. It is nice, but that’s nothing. We need billions to deal with our problems, problems of people who are (living) there."
At the heart of Lula’s vision is the newly announced Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), a permanent trust designed to pay countries to keep their forests standing. Unlike traditional philanthropy, the TFFF aims to generate substantial private sector investment—about $4 for every $1 contributed, if all goes to plan. The fund is poised to support more than 70 developing countries, with early commitments from Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, and the United Kingdom are helping design the mechanism and are expected to be among its first investors. Brazil itself has already invested $1 billion, underscoring its commitment to the cause.
While the specifics of the fund’s operation are still being hammered out, Lula and his team have floated a range of revenue-generating possibilities, from tourism to carbon offsets. The latter involves companies paying to cancel out their pollution by planting trees and protecting forests. "It is a win-win fund. We hope that when we finish the TFFF presentation many countries join," Lula said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
This new approach signals a pivotal shift in how the global community might tackle the climate crisis. Rather than relying on sporadic, uncertain donations, the TFFF seeks to create a self-sustaining financial engine for conservation. Lula’s message is clear: the world’s forests are worth more alive than dead, and it’s time that value is recognized in hard cash.
Yet, Lula’s environmental stewardship is not without controversy. Even as he champions forest protection, his government has approved exploratory oil drilling by Petrobras, the state-run oil giant, near the mouth of the Amazon River. The Equatorial Margin deposit, located 175 kilometers offshore from the northern state of Amapa, is believed to be rich in oil and gas. Activists and scientists have raised alarms about the potential for spills and the impact on mangroves and coral reefs in this biodiverse region. Petrobras, for its part, insists it has never caused spills in its drillings.
Lula, ever pragmatic, defended the decision. "If I was a fake and lying leader, I would wait for COP to be finished (to give approval)," he said, according to the Associated Press. "But if I did that I would be a small man before the importance of this." He added, "I don’t want to be an environmental leader. I never claimed to be. I want to do the right things that specialists, my administration and my conscience say we have to do. It would be incoherent, an irresponsible action, if I said we will no longer use oil." For Lula, balancing Brazil’s economic interests as a major oil exporter with its role as a global conservation leader is a tightrope act—one that’s drawn both praise and criticism.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Belem, Prince William brought his own environmental mission to Brazil. Attending the Earthshot Prize awards and the United for Wildlife annual summit, the Prince of Wales announced a new initiative to support the Amazon’s frontline defenders. "Indigenous peoples and local communities have long been protectors of the world’s most critical ecosystems. But today, their lives are increasingly at risk, and their lands are under mounting threats," William said, as reported by the Mirror. "If we are serious about tackling the climate crisis and restoring nature, we must stand with those who defend it. Building on the success of our ranger support package, we’re extending this with a new partnership to protect and assist Brazil’s frontline defenders."
The new initiative builds on Prince William’s earlier ranger support package, which was launched at the Earthshot Prize in South Africa the previous year. That program provides thousands of wildlife rangers with affordable medical evacuation and in-service insurance—a literal lifeline for those working on the conservation frontlines. In partnership with the Tusk Trust and the Game Ranger Association of Africa, the scheme already covers over 6,000 rangers across Africa. Now, its reach will extend to the Amazon, where the dangers are just as real, if not more so.
The Amazon’s defenders face a daunting array of threats: illegal logging, mining, agriculture, trafficking, and violent opposition from those seeking to exploit the forest’s resources. Indigenous activists, in particular, are under siege. William’s initiative aims to provide them with the support and protection they need to continue their vital work.
Russell Myers, reporting for the Mirror, noted that Prince William’s visit included a stop at Paqueta Island and participation in the United for Wildlife summit in Rio de Janeiro. The Prince’s presence and commitment have shone a spotlight on the risks faced by those protecting the Amazon—and on the urgent need for international solidarity.
Both Lula and William’s announcements come at a critical juncture. The Amazon, often described as the planet’s lungs, is under relentless pressure from economic and criminal interests. Deforestation rates have surged in recent years, and the region’s defenders are increasingly targeted for violence. Yet, as these two leaders have demonstrated, there is hope in new alliances and innovative funding mechanisms.
As COP30 unfolds in Belem, the world will be watching closely. Can Lula’s Tropical Forests Forever Fund attract the billions needed to keep forests standing? Will Prince William’s expanded ranger support package make a tangible difference for the Amazon’s indigenous guardians? The answers aren’t yet clear, but one thing is certain: the stakes could not be higher, and the spotlight is now firmly fixed on the Amazon and those who fight to save it.
With new initiatives on the table and global attention focused on Belem, the Amazon’s future hangs in the balance—caught between the promise of sustainable funding and the pressures of economic development. The coming months will reveal whether these bold visions can translate into lasting change for one of Earth’s greatest treasures.
