Jakarta, Indonesia, 3 February 2026 – The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore (WWF-Singapore) today announced the launch of Canopy, a regional nature finance facility supported by the ASEAN–UK Green Transition Fund (GTF) to accelerate investment in high‑quality nature restoration across Southeast Asia.

The launch took place at the ASEAN–UK Green Transition Fund (GTF) Nature-based Solutions portfolio event in Jakarta, officiated by H.E Helen Fazey, UK Ambassador to ASEAN, and H.E Satvinder Singh, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General.  

Canopy addresses long-standing financial and technical barriers that have limited the scale and durability of nature restoration in the region. Partners contributing expertise across restoration, carbon markets and finance include Climate Bridge International, Terraformation Inc., Tri-Sector Associates, and the Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition. (Please refer to Annex A for further details.)

Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves underpin food security, coastal protection and livelihoods while storing significant amounts of carbon. Yet, despite their recognised value, restoration has struggled to reach the quality and scale needed. The challenge lies less in awareness and more in how projects are financed, developed and sustained over time. A community‑first approach remains essential to ensure that restoration efforts are grounded in local knowledge, deliver meaningful benefits to people, and build long‑term stewardship alongside ecological outcomes. ‍

Financial model to deliver high-integrity restoration outcomes

A core feature of Canopy is its use of blended capital – combining philanthropic and return-seeking investment – to support early-stage restoration projects, helping them reach investment readiness while strengthening environmental and social foundations. Coupled with technical expertise and WWF’s established safeguards and quality standards, this approach aims to reduce delivery and integrity risks, enable private capital to participate over time, and establish a scalable financing pathway for nature restoration across the region.

“Across Southeast Asia, the opportunity for nature restoration is significant, but outcomes depend on projects being designed and supported effectively from the outset,” said Matteo Marinelli, Asia Pacific Lead, Sustainable Finance, WWF. “When applied carefully, blended finance can direct resources that are most critical for long-term impact, including community engagement, robust safeguards, and credible monitoring. Through Canopy, WWF-Singapore is aligning finance with nature and biodiversity priorities to deliver lasting benefits for people and nature.” ‍

Developing restoration projects with long-term value

To ensure high impact outcomes on the ground, Canopy places strong emphasis on early‑stage project design and selection. This includes ecological suitability, community partnerships, and robust monitoring frameworks. The programme will also provide capacity-building support to ASEAN Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including carbon project implementers and developers, to help them meet global standards for measurement, reporting, verification, and safeguards.  

Canopy is designed to support a restoration pipeline totalling up to 12,000 hectares over time, starting with an initial phase of up to 3,000 hectares across Southeast Asia. Over the lifespan of these projects, Canopy aims to generate approximately 1,000,000 tonnes of high‑quality carbon credits, aligned with CORSIA, ICVCM and Article 6.  ‍

Strengthening regional delivery capacity with ecosystem partners

High‑integrity nature restoration relies not only on how capital is structured, but also on the capabilities of organisations delivering and sustaining projects. This is especially crucial in complex coastal environments that require long‑term monitoring and stewardship.

Building on contributions from Climate Bridge International, Terraformation Inc., Tri-Sector Associates, and the SCeNe Coalition, Canopy will help strengthen regional delivery capacity, support high‑integrity carbon investment practices, and build a resilient pipeline of restoration projects capable of maintaining momentum over the long term. This coordinated approach aims to reinforce confidence in nature‑based climate outcomes across Southeast Asia.