Global investors managing more than $3 trillion in assets have urged governments to halt and reverse deforestation and ecosystem destruction by 2030, according to a joint statement released on Monday ahead of next month’s U.N. climate conference in Brazil.
Around 30 major institutional investors, including Swiss private bank Pictet Group and Nordic firm DNB Asset Management have so far endorsed the Belém Investor Statement on Rainforests, which will remain open for additional signatories until 1 November.
A recent report found that the world remains far from achieving its goal of stopping deforestation, with 8.1 million hectares (20 million acres) of forest, an area roughly the size of England lost in 2024 alone, largely due to agricultural expansion and wildfires.
“As investors, we are increasingly concerned about the significant financial risks that tropical deforestation and nature loss pose to our portfolios,” the statement said.
The signatories called for stronger legal, regulatory, and financial frameworks to protect forests and ensure economic stability. Jan Erik Saugestad, CEO of Nordic investment firm Storebrand Asset Management, said that “deforestation undermines the natural systems that global markets depend on, from climate regulation to food and water security.”
Earlier this year, the European Union postponed implementation of its anti-deforestation law by one year following opposition from industry groups and trade partners such as Brazil, Indonesia, and the United States, who argued that the rules would be costly and harm exports to Europe.
Ingrid Tungen, head of deforestation-free markets at the Rainforest Foundation Norway, said that the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump, a known climate sceptic had weakened global environmental efforts.
“I think Trump has made it more difficult for investors and fund managers to take climate and biodiversity into account in such a volatile market,” she said. “Every investor we speak to believes that failing to address deforestation and climate change poses enormous long-term risks, not only from an ethical perspective but because it directly threatens market stability and profitability.”
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A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
At a time when geopolitical tensions continue to ripple across multiple regions, from Ukraine to the Middle East, the South Caucasus once again finds itself at the crossroads of diplomacy and uncertainty.
Austria has expelled three diplomats from the Russian Embassy over concerns that satellite installations on diplomatic buildings could be used for espionage.
A Russian missile strike killed six people in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Monday (4 May), as Kyiv reported fresh attacks on energy infrastructure and a sharp rise in drone strikes on ports.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it had launched a mission to try and reopen the sea passage. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister said there was no military solution to the Middle East conflict.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key supplier of renewable energy to international markets.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
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