The True Cost of Governance in Integrated Landscape Approaches

Juan C Ramos; Tom Derr; Suneetha M Subramanian; Max Yamauchi Levy; Bemmy Granados

Report

The True Cost of Governance in Integrated Landscape Approaches

Policy guidance on recognizing and funding the governance infrastructure needed to sustain integrated landscape approaches.

Publication Date: 14 Aug 2026

Authors: Juan C Ramos Tom Derr Suneetha M Subramanian Max Yamauchi Levy Bemmy Granados

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Photo: UN-REDD Programme

Integrated landscape approaches (ILAs) provide a practical means of coordinating action across climate, biodiversity, land restoration and sustainable development agendas. However, while implementation investments are often funded, the recurring governance functions that enable actors to coordinate, make decisions, learn and adapt over time are frequently under-recognized and underfunded.

Drawing on the policy report The True Cost of Governance in Integrated Landscape Approaches, this briefing note presents evidence from 30 integrated landscape initiatives across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. It examines the recurring costs of landscape governance and provides guidance for policymakers, funders and practitioners on incorporating these costs into funding and financing design.

Highlights

Landscape governance infrastructure encompasses the recurring operational capacity and institutional arrangements required for ILAs to function over time. This includes convening and facilitation, participation and representation, shared planning, coordination, data and monitoring, institutional continuity and investment orchestration. Evidence from landscape practitioners shows that these governance costs are identifiable, recurring and variable in predictable ways.

Recommendations

Recognize ILAs as a practical mechanism for policy convergence across climate, biodiversity, land, water, livelihoods, resilience and emerging bioeconomy agendas.
Recognize landscape governance infrastructure as part of implementation packages.
Fund legitimate and inclusive governance systems that support participation, coordination, accountability and institutional continuity.
Connect governance funding to mission-oriented landscape finance, including the capacity to align priorities, coordinate institutions and sequence investments.
Require landscape-related programmes and investments to explicitly identify and cost governance functions and institutional arrangements.
Expand predictable, multi-year and flexible funding that supports coordination, institutional continuity, adaptive management and applied learning across project cycles.