Remarks
by J. Ramos-Horta
President of Timor-Leste
And Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1996)
At the Australasian Emissions Reduction Summit
Melbourne, 13th August 2025
Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Timor-Leste is among the most climate-vulnerable countries on Earth.
Our people have contributed hardly anything to the problem, yet we are among the first to experience its harshest impacts—rising seas, extreme weather, shifting seasons.
But we are not here to speak as a victims.
We are here to participate actively in the solution—demonstrating that even the smallest nation can make a meaningful contribution to global climate action.
Most of the 200 people working in our community forestry program are under 35 years old. They are highly aware of the challenges climate change presents. They are ready to collaborate with farmers and communities to shape Timor-Leste’s future. For those of us seasoned in the resistance, it’s powerful to see this younger generation take the lead on issues that matter to us as a nation. They demonstrate that courage is not just in defending our independence — it’s also in protecting our environment and our future.
The WithOneSeed (Ho Musan Ida) Model
In the mountain community of Baguia, in the district of Baucau, we started an experiment in 2010.
We called it WithOneSeed. (Ho Musan Ida)
It was the first community forestry program in Timor-Leste and the region to receive international certification.
The idea was simple but powerful:
· Work with smallholder farmers to plant and care for native trees on their own land.
· Use the TreeO2 digital platform to record every single tree—so the world can see the integrity of our work.
· Link this effort to the global carbon market, generating certified carbon credits.
· To date, over 800,000 trees are under community management and have drawn down over 200,000 tCO2e.
· Each tree is individually tagged and recorded using the TreeO2 digital MRV platform, ensuring complete transparency and integrity.
· WithOneSeed is AA-rated by BeZero, a rating agency which puts it in the top 2% of carbon projects globally.
This is not plantation forestry. This is mosaic reforestation—small pockets of native forest across many family farms—restoring biodiversity, protecting water sources, and improving soil health.
Carbon Credits – A New Form of Livelihood
The sale of carbon credits brings money directly into the hands of farmers.
For many, it is the first predictable annual income they have ever received.
That money has paid for children’s school fees, medicine, seeds for crops, and repairs to homes.
It has also created new local jobs—nursery managers, field monitors, trainers—keeping knowledge and skills within the community.
Through this program, climate action is not an abstract goal. It is food on the table, books in the classroom, and hope for the next generation.
Scaling Up – Foundation Rai Matak
The success in Baguia inspired us to think bigger.
We created the Foundation Rai Matak – Green Land – in our national language.
The vision: to take the Ho Musan Ida model to communities across Timor-Leste.
Our goal is clear—10 million trees, 20,000 farming families, and village economies built on climate resilience.
The Role of EU Funding
The European Union provided critical early support to help us scale this work.
With EU funding, we were able to:
- Train new communities in tree planting and maintenance.
- Establish additional nurseries in new districts.
- Expand the TreeO2 monitoring system.
- Strengthen community governance for long-term forest stewardship.
This funding was transformative—it gave us the ability to take the first steps toward a national program.
But we have learned an important truth:
· Climate and community change is a long game.
· Trees take decades to mature. Funding must match that timescale.
· Short funding cycles are not enough. We must blend climate finance from carbon markets with long-term development partnerships to achieve lasting change.
Global Relevance
What we have created is not only for Timor-Leste.
It is a model for small island states and least developed countries around the world—proof that carbon markets can deliver real benefits for the poorest communities when transparency, equity, and local leadership are at the heart.
Closing
Every tree planted in Timor carries a message to the world:
That small nations, small communities, and even the smallest of seeds can grow something powerful.
We invite you to join us—governments, businesses, and citizens—in expanding this work.
Because climate action is not just about reducing emissions—it is about restoring dignity, sustaining livelihoods, and giving our children a future worth inheriting.
Thank you.