With the ambition to sequester or avoid between 7 and 10 million tons of CO₂ over a 25-year period, this fund will sustainably improve the living conditions of 500,000 people.
Livelihoods, alongside its long-standing partners – Danone, Hermès, Mars, Mauritius Commercial Bank, McCain, SAP, Schneider Electric, and Voyageurs du Monde – today announces the launch of the Livelihoods Carbon Fund 4 (LCF4), an investment fund dedicated to developing nature-based solutions designed with rural communities.
With an initial raise of €124 million and a target size of €150 million, LCF4 will finance large-scale projects aimed at restoring ecosystems, strengthening climate resilience, and sustainably improving the living conditions of over 500,000 people. The fund also aims to sequester or avoid between 7 and 10 million tons of CO₂ over 25 years.
Reducing carbon emissions within their value chains is a priority for companies investing in LCF4. However, even in the most ambitious scenarios, some emissions remain difficult to eliminate in the short term. That’s why these companies commit to contributing beyond their value chains: the ecosystems that play an essential role in climate regulation continue to degrade, while the populations that depend on them are often the first to be affected by environmental crises.
It is in this context that LCF4 fits in. The fund will support initiatives capable of restoring essential natural assets – such as forests, mangroves, and agricultural soils – while creating new economic opportunities for rural populations.
A Proven Impact Model
LCF4 builds on Livelihoods’ recognized experience in designing ambitious projects since 2009 (mangrove and forest restoration, regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and rural energy access), as well as its unique model based on long-term partnerships between companies, NGOs, and local actors. To date, Livelihoods-supported projects have enabled the planting of over 160 million trees and improved the living conditions of more than 2.4 million people in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
“For over fifteen years, we have been developing projects that combine environmental performance and local development, placing local communities at the heart of our action,” says Bernard Giraud, President and Co-founder of Livelihoods. “This new fundraise reflects our commitment to scaling up this model to address the climate emergency and sustainably improve the living conditions of rural communities.”
Livelihoods invests directly in long-term projects co-created with local stakeholders, providing initial financing. Its governance model involves investors, NGOs, and local communities throughout the process to ensure lasting impact and healthier ecosystems.
Why Nature-Based Solutions Matter Today
Nature-based solutions are among the most effective levers for addressing climate challenges while generating benefits for biodiversity, water resources, food security, and rural livelihoods. Yet, the available funding remains largely insufficient to deploy these solutions at the necessary scale.
LCF4 reflects a shared conviction among its investors: the transition to a low-carbon economy requires both rapid and drastic emission reductions and investments in the preservation and regeneration of ecosystems.
“Companies today have a clear responsibility: to reduce their emissions as quickly as possible while contributing to the protection of the ecosystems on which our collective future depends,” explains Eric Soubeiran, CEO of Livelihoods. “With LCF4, we are mobilizing private capital to support projects that provide credible, measurable solutions capable of delivering real impact on the ground. In a world searching for solutions, nature remains the most powerful technology.”
With this fourth fund, Livelihoods and its partners are taking a new step in their joint commitment: demonstrating that ambitious climate action can restore ecosystems, strengthen rural economies, and create sustainable value for future generations.
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About Livelihoods:
Livelihoods is a global initiative that connects companies, local organizations and communities to turn climate ambition into tangible action. We are grounded in a core belief: there is no environmental impact without social justice. Since 2009, we’ve mobilized private investment and field expertise to co-design and deliver long-term projects that restore natural ecosystems, improve livelihoods, and strengthen resilience. Backed by 20 committed companies, we drive 47 large-scale projects, that have avoided or removed 5.4 million tons of CO₂, planted 160 million trees, and improved the lives of 2.4 million people in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Media Contact:
Livelihoods – Cécile Mercier – Communications Manager – cmercier@livelihoods-venture.com
Photo: Aerial view of the implementation area of the LCF3 rural energy project in Nepal. Credit: Practical Action.