At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) 2025, Ghanaian moderator Kenneth Awotwe Darko steered a critical conversation on forest finance, ensuring Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) took center stage in the fight against deforestation.
The session, Protecting Forests, Protecting the Planet: Financing Solutions for Nature and Climate, became a rallying point for rights-based solutions. Mr. Darko’s incisive questions and strategic framing connected forest protection to broader climate and biodiversity goals ahead of COP30.
Around 1,600 participants from across the globe—including high-level representatives from politics, international organizations, business, academia, and civil society—gathered in Hamburg on June 2 and 3 to forge new alliances and accelerate progress toward the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
HSC was organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Michael Otto Foundation, and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
During the forest finance session, Mr. Darko, a journalist with JoyNews and Myjoyonline, opened the discussion by engaging Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). Mr. Flasbarth emphasized Germany’s commitment to designing effective forest finance mechanisms, noting the importance of holistic and integrated approaches.
Kenneth advanced the discussion by underscoring forests’ dual role as biodiversity sanctuaries and carbon sinks, a theme echoed by panelists from Brazil’s Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (APIB), the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), and Greenpeace.
He remarked, “Forests, home to millions of people, two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity and crucial carbon sinks, are vital for achieving climate and nature protection goals. With deforestation contributing 15% of global emissions, we need to explore opportunities for COP30 and beyond to enhance financing mechanisms and accelerate action to end deforestation and forest degradation by 2030.”
Posing a pivotal question to Dinamam Tuxá, an Indigenous leader from Brazil, Kenneth asked how urgent it was to redesign forest finance to guarantee direct access for IP&LCs. Tuxá responded that without inclusion, even the best-intentioned funds fail. He highlighted the contradiction that Amazon territories safeguard 80% of global biodiversity, yet receive less than 1% of climate finance directly.
In a powerful address, Alcebias Mota Constantino of the Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB) expressed frustration at the gap between lofty commitments and meaningful action. He noted that as delays persist in developing mechanisms to support IP and community-led solutions, their living conditions continue to worsen.
Mr. Darko’s facilitation revealed both the stark realities and the potential solutions. Leslie Quarzazi of CAFI emphasized that Central Africa’s deforestation crisis demands “policy coherence and community-level funding,” a point Kenneth expanded upon by referencing Ghana’s forest conservation efforts and the promise of the SCALED initiative in bridging investment gaps.
Turning to COP30 as a key moment, Carolina Pasquali of Greenpeace Brazil, responding to Kenneth’s prompt, stressed the need for enforceable mechanisms beyond mere pledges, especially for high-integrity forests.
Quarzazi also spoke on the need for finance models that balance equity and effectiveness through holistic, long-term frameworks.
In closing, Mr. Darko synthesized the panel’s consensus by stating that credible solutions require respecting the people who live with the forests. His summary reflected the session’s key messages:
Direct Access: Finance mechanisms must bypass bureaucracy to reach IP&LCs.
Integration: Climate and biodiversity goals must be inseparable in forest policy.
Accountability: COP30 must deliver tangible results, not just dialogue.
Kenneth Awotwe Darko’s leadership underscored a powerful truth: forest finance is not just about dollars—it’s about dignity. As global leaders prepare for COP30 in the Amazon, the call to prioritize the voices of those who guard these ecosystems offers a clear roadmap for converting promises into progress.
HSC 2025 successfully concluded its second edition, reinforcing its position as a vital global platform for advancing sustainable development.
This year’s event marked the launch of key initiatives and the achievement of broad consensus, including the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs. Despite heightened geopolitical tensions and increasing fragmentation, the conference demonstrated that multilateral collaboration remains both possible and essential.
The four HSC initiators emphasized the need to forge new alliances and cross-sector initiatives to build a sustainable future, particularly in these uncertain times.
Key highlights from HSC 2025 include:
Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs
On June 2, the UNDP and BMZ, alongside over 40 governments, private sector actors, civil society groups, and research institutions, endorsed this landmark declaration. It is the first global declaration focused specifically on AI in international development, committing to equitable, inclusive, and sustainable AI deployment—especially in developing countries.SCALED: Unlocking Private Investment for Sustainable Development
Also launched on June 2, the rebranded “SCALED—Scaling Capital for Sustainable Development” initiative aims to remove barriers to sustainable investment. A new company will be launched by the end of 2025 to mobilize private capital efficiently for ventures such as solar energy and entrepreneurship support, helping close financing gaps in developing nations.Launch of the Global Alliance against Inequality
On June 3, Germany, Sierra Leone, and the Pathfinders Initiative launched this coalition to tackle the structural causes of inequality that threaten democratic governance. The alliance will promote cross-regional dialogue, policy innovation, and efforts to rebuild trust in public institutions.
Additional notable developments during HSC 2025 include:
A Memorandum of Understanding between GIZ and Euler Hermes to support sustainable German exports and investments in emerging markets.
The Biodiversity Fund by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), seeded with €500,000, to support biodiversity in global textile supply chains.
New signatories to the Hamburg Declarations on Green Aviation and the Decarbonisation of Global Shipping.
A joint statement on improving municipal access to private capital.
The concept launch of the Institute for Sustainability Arbitration (ISA), envisioned as a legal body for resolving sustainability-related disputes.
In sum, HSC 2025 sent a timely and clear message: even amid global uncertainties, collective action and sustainable progress remain achievable.