In May 2025, RRI joined REPALEAC and the GATC to co-organize the First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from the Forest Basins, convening 156 representatives from Africa, Asia, Mesoamerica, and South America in Brazzaville. Participants published the Brazzaville Declaration and used the document to advocate for their rights in the lead-up to COP30, contributing to the mobilization of significant donor funding pledged by the Forest Tenure Funders Group and other global donors. Importantly, during the Leaders’ Summit ahead of COP30 in November 2025, the President of the Republic of Congo cited the Declaration in his speech and urged other heads of State to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights to their lands and resources.
In collaboration with the Global Land Alliance, RRI further coordinated several national commitments toward the ILTC under the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership. Through sustained dialogue with donors and other key stakeholders, The Pledge We Want campaign, and strategic analysis, RRI’s efforts helped expand the pledge to new ecosystems and donors and ensured its language centered on direct funding for rightsholders.
“Our collaboration in this Congress across continents, traditions, and generations is a powerful reminder that strength lies in collective action. We are ready to continue using the depth of our knowledge and our spirit of cooperation to set a common path toward a just, livable, and equitable future.”
RRI’s Path to Scale Funding Dashboard and update to the State of Funding report tracked global donor flows to IPs, ADPs, and LCs, expanding their scope beyond forests to other ecosystems. Research conducted by RRI and WiGSA also tracked funding reaching IP, ADP, and LC women specifically, further influencing donors’ commitments to more concretely address gender in their funding commitments. Released ahead of COP30, these analytical tools strengthened advocacy and will continue to guide accountability toward 2030 climate and biodiversity goals.
