A new outcome bond, developed by Everland in partnership with BNP Paribas (EPA: BNP), is putting Indigenous- and community-led forest conservation in the Amazon back into the spotlight, signaling renewed investor interest in high-integrity nature-based carbon projects.
The initiative has secured $160 million in letters of intent (LoI) from companies looking to purchase future carbon credits, part of its fresh initiative to back a portfolio of Indigenous-centered rainforest protection efforts across the greater Amazon.
The program, called the Indigenous Amazon Outcome Bond, aims to provide $50 million in upfront capital to kick-start up to 20 REDD+ projects certified under the new Equitable Earth Standard.
So far, 23 project submissions have been made representing nearly 90,000 community and Indigenous participants across approximately 17 million hectares of threatened rainforest.
The first five selected projects will be announced by the end of 2025, Everland said in a statement on Monday.
Panthera will act as biodiversity adviser, and projects located within its Jaguar Corridor, outlining key landscapes linking and protecting jaguar populations, will be prioritized.
Relevant: Brazil’s Piauí State And Silvania Launch Jurisdictional REDD+ Program
Under the initiative, communities will receive the majority of revenue—in Brazil projects, at least 70%—from the sale of verified carbon credits over their projected 40-year lifespan, with total funding projected to exceed $1 billion over the first ten years.
Indigenous leader Concita Sompré of the Gavião Kyikatejê people celebrated the development, saying: “This is the kind of private sector action that climate justice demands.Today, I am filled with hope.”
The initiative reflects a growing alignment between Indigenous leadership and private sector partners, united in their commitment to protect the Amazon, she added.
The effort is structured as a payment-for-performance bond, aiming to channel private capital directly to forest-guarding communities, backed by rigorous standards of conservation, biodiversity protection and equitable benefit-sharing.
It is seen as a turning point for the voluntary carbon market (VCM), where demand has stalled amid concerns about credit integrity and community impact.
Read more: Brazil Makes Bold Bid To Forge A Worldwide Carbon Credit Alliance With China And The EU
