The Governors’ Climate and Forests (GCF) Task Force works to protect tropical forests, reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and promote realistic pathways to forest-maintaining rural development. Founded in 2008 by nine governors from Brazil, Indonesia, and the United States, the GCF Task Force has grown to over 38 states and provinces in ten countries world wide (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Spain, and the United States). More than 1/3 of the world's tropical forests are contained within GCF Task Force member states—including all of the legal Brazilian Amazon, 85 percent of the Peruvian Amazon, and more than 60 percent of Indonesia's tropical forests. Our subnational collaboration enhances the critical opportunities subnational governments hold for policy innovation and leadership by supporting jurisdictional programs to protect forests, reduce emissions, and enhance livelihoods. The GCF Task Force harnesses a network approach to governance across multiple scales and sectors—incorporating voices from government, private sector, producers, indigenous peoples and local communities. Our mission is to empower a coalition of subnational jurisdictions and their partners to implement innovative jurisdiction-wide programs for sustainable low emissions development built upon improved forest governance, novel technical and financial mechanisms, enhances opportunities for local communities and indigenous peoples, and ongoing leadership in national, regional, and international climate policy forums.