In 2020, Mastercard and partners launched a plan to restore 100 million trees. The initiative later expanded to support local restoration projects

The Priceless Planet Coalition was established in 2020 when Conservation International, Mastercard, and World Resources Institute (WRI) launched a project to restore 100 million trees through TerraMatch. The TerraMatch approach was first developed by the coalition and later used to facilitate restoration efforts driven locally by TerraFund, according to WRI.

Mastercard Launched the Priceless Planet Coalition in 2020

Mastercard announced its initiative for Priceless Planet Coalition in January 2020. According to Mastercard, the Priceless Planet Coalition would help in uniting various organizations along with consumers in climate action through the planting of 100 million trees within five years.

Mastercard selected Conservation International and WRI to lead the tree-planting efforts, with WRI bringing scientific expertise and monitoring to the initiative.


WRI describes the coalition as the starting point for the TerraMatch model, saying the project was formed in 2020 with Conservation International, Mastercard and WRI to restore 100 million trees using TerraMatch.

WRI Developed TerraMatch for Local Restoration

WRI developed TerraMatch as an end-to-end process for selecting, funding and tracking local restoration organizations and entrepreneurs.

The institute says TerraMatch connects local restoration champions with capital and technical assistance through an online system that vets their work, supports their growth and monitors progress.

TerraFund Was Launched in 2021

The TerraMatch model did not simply become TerraFund. Instead, WRI says it later convened partners including One Tree Planted and Realize Impact to launch TerraFund in 2021.

TerraFund used the TerraMatch system to invest in 100 local “restoration champions” across Africa.

WRI says it subsequently refined its financial, project-management and monitoring, reporting and verification systems based on feedback from the restoration champions. The model later expanded to include private-equity partner Barka Fund, along with additional funding from the Bezos Earth Fund and the TED Audacious Project.

Priceless Planet Coalition Work Reached 10.7 Million Trees

WRI reports that work through the Priceless Planet Coalition brought $28 million to restoration champions in six countries.

Those restoration champions had planted 10.7 million trees and begun restoring 7,500 hectares of land, according to WRI.

These figures refer specifically to work through the Priceless Planet Coalition and should not be combined with the broader TerraFund figures reported by WRI.

TerraMatch Uses Data to Track Restoration

WRI says TerraMatch uses reported metrics and satellite data to track, verify and showcase the restoration work carried out by local restoration champions.

The system is part of WRI’s broader approach to connecting local restoration organizations with funding and technical support while monitoring their progress.

TerraFund Projects Reached More Than 21.2 Million Trees

Across Africa, WRI reports that 198 projects led by TerraFund restoration champions attracted more than $32 million, planted more than 21.2 million trees and brought 43,500 hectares under restoration.

The projects also created 58,500 full- and part-time jobs and provided livelihood and other benefits to nearly 170,000 people, according to WRI.

These numbers describe the broader TerraFund work across Africa, rather than the specific results reported for the Priceless Planet Coalition.

The Approach Expanded to India and Brazil

WRI says the experience in Africa inspired stakeholders in India and Brazil to adapt the TerraMatch approach.

That work led to the Harit Bharat Fund in India and a planned restoration fund for the Brazilian Amazon, according to WRI.

From 100 Million Trees to Locally Led Restoration

The Priceless Planet Coalition was the starting point for the TerraMatch model, while WRI later used that system with partners to support broader locally led restoration efforts through TerraFund.

WRI says TerraMatch has supported more than 200 projects that have collectively planted more than 30 million trees and created tens of thousands of jobs.

The institute says the project is also helping contribute toward its goal of restoring 40 million hectares of degraded land by 2027.