Government of Gabon and The Nature Conservancy Announce Steps Toward Visionary Plan to Fund Long-Term Conservation of Climate-Critical Landscapes

After more than a year of collaborative planning between government and civil society organizations, along with local stakeholders, the finance made available through this PFP will be used to implement a detailed national community development and conservation plan, designed to support the country’s drive to a nature-based economy while delivering its commitment to protecting 30% of its terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems and also mitigating the effects of climate change. Improving livelihoods in conservation-critical landscapes is a priority for Gabon, and PFP investments will strengthen community-based organizations like sustainable forestry and fishing cooperatives while also bolstering efforts to address human-wildlife conflict that is currently being exacerbated by climate change.

Commenting on the significance of today’s announcement, Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Gabon’s Former Minister of Forests said:

“The signing of this Letter of Intent is a decisive milestone in achieving the vision of ‘Gabon Infini.’ This Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) is our commitment to a prosperous and equitable green economy. By securing long-term resources, we are guaranteeing the future of our vital ecosystems and directly investing in the lasting well-being and livelihoods of our communities, which is paramount in the face of global climate challenges.”

Gabon represents a crucial ecological anchor within the vast Congo Basin—almost 89% of its territory is covered by dense tropical rainforests, which are home to more than half of the world’s remaining African forest elephants, as well as a quarter of surviving western lowland gorillas. Vast landscapes of forests and rolling savannas, coupled with nearly 500 miles of Atlantic coastline and the expansive Ogooué River basin, collectively represent carbon sinks that absorb more CO₂ every year than the entire country emits.

The announcement of Gabon’s intention to complete this innovative new PFP—one of the first of its kind in Africa, following a blueprint established elsewhere by countries including Mongolia—comes against the backdrop of a UN climate COP being hosted in the Brazilian Amazon, where the importance of safeguarding and restoring our planet’s tropical forests has been at the forefront of negotiations during this 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

“Gabon’s deep and enduring commitment to an economy based on preserving nature for current and future generations should be praised by the global community,” said Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “As Gabon navigates the interwoven threats of the climate crisis and rising global demands for timber and fiber, an economy which rewards Gabon for protecting its national treasure should be everyone’s priority. Gabon has provided the world with a gift—a globally significant intact forest which sequesters carbon and holds some of the world’s most iconic and endangered species. Now it is high time for us to support Gabon’s ambitious vision. We congratulate the Gabonese government on its progress toward launching the Gabon Infini PFP. TNC is immensely proud to support Gabon’s leadership!”

Through the PFP’s funding and policy commitments, Gabon plans to:

• Enhance the lives and livelihoods of an estimated 100,000 people by leveraging conservation for community development, boosting residents’ participation in decision-making and management of protected areas, and supporting community-led approaches to human-elephant co-existence.
• Protect an additional 3.4 million hectares of forests and other land while strengthening the management effectiveness of 3.9 million hectares of already-protected land areas.
• Protect or improve the management of roughly 400,000 hectares of lakes and wetlands, including 18,000 km of well-connected rivers.
• Protect or improve the management of more than 6 million hectares of ocean.
• Help communities become more resilient in the face of climate risks such as coastal erosion and flooding by improving how ecosystems are managed and restored.

Putting the announcement in further context, Ryan Demmy Bidwell—The Nature Conservancy’s global director for PFPs—said: “The Government of Gabon couldn’t have picked a more fitting backdrop in which to make this announcement. Like the Amazon, where there is growing momentum behind emerging platforms like the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, Gabon’s successful stewardship of its vast, climate-critical forests has not benefitted equitably from sustainable funding. TNC is honored that the Gabonese government has chosen to partner with us to bring innovative finance thinking to their carbon- and nature-rich forests and other climate-critical ecosystems, cementing the country’s reputation at the forefront of global climate and conservation leaders.”

The Gabon Infini PFP will use a transformative, innovative financing model, designed to secure long-term financing and other commitments, to enable the Government of Gabon to support a strengthened nature-based economy. The PFP’s innovative community development and conservation plan will also leverage the implementation of Gabon’s 2023 debt conversion for nature (Nature Bonds) project. Building on the Nature Bonds project as a foundation, and US$94 million in donor funding from the Global Environment Facility, the Bezos Earth Fund and other private donors that will be committed at closing through the PFP, the Government of Gabon will commit new funding of up to $86 million, including through the development of sustainable finance mechanisms that are designed to sustain community benefits and conservation results far beyond the PFP’s 10-year life. This will include expanding ecotourism, establishing a community enterprise investment fund and creating a conservation endowment fund, which are all designed to generate additional revenue from both interest and investment returns.

Visit Nature.org to learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to finance sustainable conservation outcomes at scale, via the Enduring Earth initiative.

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Enduring Earth is an ambitious collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, World Wildlife Fund and ZOMA LAB that partners with all stewards of the environment to protect 600 million hectares of land, ocean and fresh water by 2030. Since its launch in 2021, Enduring Earth has worked with governments, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, partners and funders to advance six Project Finance for Permanence initiatives in Canada, Mongolia, Brazil and Colombia. Together, these efforts are securing the long-term conservation of 210 million hectares of lands and water while supporting inclusive stewardship and sustainable economic opportunities that strengthen community livelihoods.

Le Fonds de Préservation de la Biodiversité au Gabon (FPBG) is an independent conservation trust fund dedicated to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Gabon. The FPBG, originally established under the Nature Bonds project, will also be responsible for disbursing funds for conservation efforts under the PFP. FPBG aims to support conservation and sustainable initiatives to protect the country's natural ecosystems. In collaboration with local and international partners, FPBG plays a key role in Gabon's commitment to protect 30% of its marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems by 2030.

Gabon’s Ministry of Water and Forests in charge of Human-Wildlife Conflict is tasked with the coordination, implementation and evaluation of state policy in crucial areas. These areas encompass ocean protection, sustainable forest exploitation, the conservation of biodiversity and protected areas, and the regulation of cohabitation between humans and wildlife.The ultimate goal of this mission is to ensure the optimal valuation of Gabon's natural resources in order to drive a green and resilient economy that specifically benefits Indigenous Communities and the current generation while securing the natural heritage for future generations.