Suriname is one of the most forested countries on Earth, with more than 90% of its land still under tree cover. For decades, that has been treated as an environmental fact rather than an economic one. A new global finance mechanism is about to change that.
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is built on a simple, overdue idea: countries that keep their forests standing should be paid for it, not just praised for it. It works like a global endowment. Sponsor governments contribute capital that helps mobilize much larger private investment; the pooled fund, targeting US $125 billion, is invested in diversified portfolios; and the returns, an expected US $3 to 4 billion a year once fully capitalized, are paid out to tropical forest countries based on verified hectares of standing forest.
The TFFF is still being built. It is not yet operational. The fund depends on sponsor governments and private investors following through on commitments, and capitalization is still underway. With an anticipated US $10 billion in sovereign investments expected by the end of 2026, the financial model could become operational and begin generating payouts for tropical forest countries ahead of 2030. WWF has worked closely with governments and partners to help shape the TFFF's design as it moves toward that point.
For Suriname, the numbers are striking, once the facility is fully capitalized. With 13.4 to 13.5 million hectares of eligible standing tropical forest, the country could receive an estimated US $42 to 46 million every year. To put that in perspective, current bilateral development assistance for biodiversity in Suriname totals only about US $2 million annually. At full capacity, the TFFF would not supplement that figure. It would dwarf it, by more than twenty times.
Most forest finance to date has rewarded countries for reducing deforestation, meaning nations that already protect their forests, like Suriname, have often been left out simply for doing the right thing all along. The TFFF corrects this. It pays for the forest that exists now, not just for damage avoided. Countries with low deforestation rates face minimal deductions and stand to benefit the most. For a high forest, low deforestation country like Suriname, this is not a bonus. It is finally being recognized for stewardship it has already earned.
Unlike loans, these payments carry no repayment obligation. Unlike many grants, they carry no restrictive earmarking. Funds go directly to national treasuries, and governments retain discretion over how they are spent, within agreed safeguards that include a minimum of 20% channeled directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. If deforestation rises or eligibility conditions are not met in a given year, payments are simply reduced or paused. They are never clawed back. This is patient, predictable, sovereign capital, exactly the kind of long-term financing that has been missing from the forest finance landscape, once the fund is up and running.
Some governments may wonder whether the TFFF threatens existing arrangements like REDD+ or bilateral partnerships. It does not. REDD+ rewards avoided emissions, measured in tonnes of CO2. The TFFF rewards standing forest, measured in hectares. The two mechanisms use different metrics and different capital sources entirely: TFFF funding comes from one time sovereign investment and financial markets, not from the same pool as annual ODA. As REDD+ payments naturally decline with falling deforestation, the TFFF is designed to step in and provide the long-term funding that carbon markets alone cannot guarantee.
Endorsing the TFFF carries no binding commitment and no financial obligation. It simply opens a structured dialogue and access to technical support, including the forthcoming TFFF Country Access Platform, developed by UNDP, WWF, and partners, to help assess eligibility and close any gaps.
But timing is not neutral. Even while the fund is still being capitalized, early movers help shape how the TFFF is operationalized, from governance structures to access pathways to how benefit sharing works in practice. Countries that engage now have a real chance to ensure the mechanism reflects their national priorities and institutions. Those that wait will simply inherit rules written by others.
Suriname has spent generations protecting one of the world's most intact tropical forest landscapes. As the TFFF moves toward becoming fully operational, it offers a rare opportunity to turn that legacy into a durable, predictable fiscal asset, one that can support development, strengthen institutions, and reinforce Suriname's position as a global leader in forest stewardship.
The forest is already there. The fund is still being built. The only question now is whether Suriname will position itself early enough to benefit once it is.
WWF stands ready to support the Government of Suriname through every step of this process, from assessing eligibility to shaping implementation.
Read the full Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) in Suriname - Factsheet to learn more.
