Reforestation has long been viewed as one of the more hopeful climate interventions: a process that can, in theory, restore degraded landsca
Sociologist Thomas Rudel explores the social and political forces behind global reforestation, arguing that forest regrowth is rarely automatic and often depends on human decisions and local conditions.
He critiques top-down climate pledges for failing to engage with smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities, who are frequently the key actors in both forest loss and recovery.
Rudel highlights the importance of βcorporatist coalitionsβ that link global funders with grassroots actors, enabling more flexible and locally effective forest restoration efforts.
Rudel spoke with Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler in July 2025.






















