Deforestation impacts the Earth and its ecological systems, the indigenous people who live in affected areas, and the industries perpetrating forest loss. Skoll focuses on tropical forests, which have the greatest impact on greenhouse gas emissions, and not on other forested biomes, although we recognize the importance of preserving those ecosystems as well.

Desired Equilibrium

Preservation of the Earth’s tropical forests through economically and environmentally sustainable land management by indigenous communities supported by market forces.

Ways Skoll social entrepreneurs are addressing the issue:

• Supporting indigenous communities in securing their rights and sustainably managing forested land (ACT, Forest Trends, Gaia Amazonas, Telapak)
• Informing decision-making through improved and transparent tropical forest data (Forest Trends, Global Witness, Imazon)
• Engaging local and national governments to develop, strengthen, and implement anti-deforestation policies (ACT, Forest Trends, Gaia Amazonas, Global Witness, Imazon)
• Creating economic incentives for private sector actors to conserve the environment (ACT, Ceres, Forest Trends, Imazon, Telapak)