©FAO / Andrea Romero Montoya
The government of Guatemala has received its first payment of USD 24.21 million under the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) for verified emissions reductions of 4.84 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e). The results have been achieved from Guatemala’s own forest carbon programme, which covers the vast majority of the country’s territory.
The results-based payment will be distributed through an inclusive Benefit Sharing Plan to support stakeholders involved in forest protection, reforestation, restoration and agroforestry. The plan prioritizes activities that benefit Indigenous Peoples, women and other vulnerable groups, recognizing their critical role in managing Guatemala’s forests, water resources and biodiversity.
This achievement builds on more than 25 years of national investment in natural resource management. It integrates jurisdictional forest carbon programmes covering 92 percent of the national territory, co-management arrangements between communities and the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) and Community-Based REDD+ projects. To date, over 1 015 projects have been implemented, generating over 50 000 jobs. These projects have directly or indirectly benefited more than 230 000 people, including 76 646 Indigenous People and 117 722 women.
The collaboration displayed between national stakeholders in Guatemala is a prime example of the partnerships required to address major challenges, such as halting deforestation and mitigating climate change. This achievement was made possible by the joint work of the institutions and beneficiaries who manage and conserve Guatemala’s forests.
Furthermore, Guatemala’s accomplishment highlights the benefits of sustained national commitment, inclusive governance and collaborative technical support. It provides a model for other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean seeking to advance sustainable forest management while delivering measurable climate, social and economic outcomes.
A long-term partner of the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), Guatemala has received technical and advisory support from GFOI lead partners including the World Bank, SilvaCarbon and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to strengthen its national capacity to monitor, report and verify forest carbon emissions. Since 2024, Guatemala has participated in the GFOI Country-Led Planning (CLP) programme to strengthen and institutionalize its national forest monitoring system (NFMS).
For more news and details on this significant milestone, please refer to the announcements by the GFOI’s national partners in Guatemala: CONAP; National Forest Institute (INAB); Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA); and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN). The announcement by the GFOI’s Lead partner, the World Bank’s FCPF, can also be found here.
