As the DGM begins its eighth year of implementation, the program is reaching a crucial juncture where new funding is needed. It is a critical moment to evaluate the successful mechanisms and processes implemented across the globe and its successful results and lessons learned.  

To continue supporting newly approved projects, documenting, and sharing the results across DGM countries will be fundamental for scaling up DGM IPLC efforts. This coming year will bring significant growth and innovation as recently approved countries make headway while others closeout and some receive additional finance for a subsequent phase.

It is more important now than ever with 628 IPLC-led subprojects totaling over $19.5M, to remember where this all started and how IPLCs leadership, innovation, knowledge, and commitment have brought the DGM to where it is now.

The DGM is one of many initiatives that has proven how effective and efficient direct access to climate finance can be for IPLCs. Mechanisms like this work and are demonstrating significant results in land tenure, gender equity, sustainable forest management, reforestation, income generation, and more. The advantage of the DGM’s experience is that it can allow the promotion and replication of successful climate actions in other Indigenous and local communities.

With nearly all the program’s allocated funding approved, and 3 country projects in early implementation, this new year is bound to be one of significant regional and global knowledge sharing. The DGM is looking forward to the upcoming year of implementation strengthening the peer-to-peer learning and improving best practices of IPLC-led projects.