Enviro News Asia, Bangkok — The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) highlighted key opportunities and challenges in mobilizing forest finance during the Asia–Pacific Regional Workshop on Forest Financing held in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 20 to 23, 2026.
The workshop was hosted by the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) and aimed to strengthen understanding of global forest financing mechanisms and emerging funding opportunities. Participants included government representatives from across the Asia–Pacific region, alongside officials from multilateral development banks, United Nations agencies, international organizations, and the private sector.
ITTO Executive Director Sheam Satkuru addressed the opening session, emphasizing the growing urgency of financing forests amid escalating climate and biodiversity challenges. She noted that forests continue to receive a disproportionately small share of global climate finance despite their significant contributions to climate mitigation and adaptation, ecosystem services, livelihoods, and economic development.
According to ITTO, fragmented international policy approaches and the increasing number of actors involved in forest-related initiatives have contributed to inefficiencies and competition, limiting the effectiveness of forest financing efforts.
On the second day of the workshop, ITTO presented its approach to leveraging forest finance through policy support, field-based projects, data provision, and capacity building. ITTO Director of Forest Management Jennifer Conje outlined how targeted investments can generate environmental and socio-economic benefits while attracting additional public and private funding.
Several case studies were shared to demonstrate practical outcomes. In Indonesia, an ITTO-supported project strengthened sustainable non-timber forest product management and enhanced the capacity of community-based enterprises. The initiative later attracted domestic public investment and private financing, including low-interest loans for community cooperatives.
Participants also reviewed an ITTO-supported microcredit initiative in Cambodia that provides low-interest loans for forest-friendly livelihoods while financing community-led forest monitoring and protection. Another initiative focused on improving market access for smallholder-produced teak and high-value timber by enhancing processing capacity and introducing innovative financing models.
ITTO also highlighted partnerships with organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization to advance policy development, fiscal reform discussions, and community-based forestry enterprises.
According to ITTO, relatively modest investments made through its projects have often played a catalytic role by unlocking larger follow-on funding from development banks, national governments, and private-sector partners. The organization emphasized its commitment to supporting member countries in translating policy objectives into bankable actions that deliver long-term benefits for forests and forest-dependent communities. (*)
