Resilient Landscapes
Leveraging science to deliver high-impact nature-based solutions
Resilient Landscapes is a CIFOR-ICRAF private-sector facing arm created to spur large-scale impact investment in Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Nature needs funding and funding needs knowledge. As obvious as this is, such synergies do not come about spontaneously. It takes hybrid teams such as Resilient Landscapes to effectively connect the academic, business, and public spheres. Acting as a bridge between science and the private sector, Resilient Landscapes inserts the knowledge of CIFOR-ICRAF’s 800+ international staff into high-impact, bankable project designs. By contributing to the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss in a synergetic way, RL generates environmental and social co-benefits. RL’s environmental, social, and governance assessments are robust and science-based, with clear metrics and impact results to enable the private sector to make real changes for nature and people.
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Resilient Landscapes Luxembourg (RLL)
Building on its successful launch in 2023, the Resilient Landscapes Luxembourg (RLL) incubator continues to accelerate and scale up investments in sustainable landscapes for urgent climate and biodiversity action. Throughout 2024, the RLL incubator has expanded its support to a broader portfolio of Nature-based Solutions projects, enhancing financial de-risking mechanisms and providing targeted technical assistance. Leveraging CIFOR-ICRAF’s expertise in forestry, agroforestry, and development, the incubator has strengthened collaborations among corporates, investors, governments, and local communities.
The first batch of projects initiated in 2023 has demonstrated promising results, laying the foundation for additional investments in terrestrial and coastal resilience. As part of the ongoing efforts, a second batch of NbS projects was launched in 2024. This progress was showcased at both Biodiversity COP in Cali and Climate COP in Baku.
Resilient Landscapes and Unilever
Since 2021, Resilient Landscapes has been advising Unilever’s investments in Nature-based solutions from strategy to implementation, applying local presence across key geographies, science and project design expertise as key elements for decision-making. In 2024, Resilient Landscapes continued to refine and expand its approach by integrating new scientific frameworks to assess project viability and impact. Key areas of focus remain on nature restoration and conservation projects, sustainable supply chains, and the development of nature-positive, equitable production systems.
Resilient Landscapes and CIFOR-ICRAF’s blended finance strategy
Working inside selected CIFOR-ICRAF programmes, RL supports transitions from grant-funded action to hybrid models that introduce commercial capital and create new paths for future growth. In 2024 this work focused on India and East Africa programmes.