Rainforest Research
The Cool Earth model
Since 2007, we’ve led the way with unconditional cash transfers, proving that putting people at the heart of rainforest conservation works. Here’s the research to back it up.
Data and findings
These articles summarise the findings from our unconditional cash projects over the last few years.
Cash for conservation?
Integrating basic income support into biodiversity and climate finance feat. Isabel Felandro, Cool Earth’s Programmes Manager. (2025)
Basic Income Pilot: Midterm
Midterm Evaluation from our Basic Income Pilot in the Amazon rainforest. (2025)
UCTs for Rainforest Protection
Unconditional Cash Transfers strategy for rainforest protection. (2022)
Cash giving rationale
Cool Earth’s intellectual context and rationale for cash giving. (2021)
Conservation BI: a good idea?
‘Is conservation basic income a good idea?’ A scoping study of the views of conservation professionals on cash giving programmes by Callum Sheehan, MSc dissertation – collaboration between Cool Earth and the University of Leeds. (2022)
Can basic income save rainforests?
Can a basic income for people who live in the rainforest save the rainforest? Abstract for conferences. (2022)
Review of cash giving in Peru
Review of Cool Earth’s cash giving in Peru from 2008-2020. (2021)
“What I value most about Cool Earth is their transparency and the respect they have for us. They have never told us to do things their way. They have always respected our decisions; our Indigenous autonomy. ”
External research
Independent research on unconditional cash transfers and Indigenous-led conservation proves that we’re on the right track.
Indigenous rainforest protection
Reduced deforestation and degradation in Indigenous Lands pan-tropically. (2022)
Indigenous conservation
A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation. (2018)
Cash transfers
Direct cash transfers to address Loss and Damage: principles for effective response. (2024)
Annual Reports
Our successes, our challenges, and everything in between can be found here in our annual reports.