Restoration efforts are working, but we need to move faster to meet targets, says U.N. report

Restoration efforts are working, but we need to move faster to meet targets, says U.N. report Swati Mestri Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor A U.N. report finds that 252 million hectares (ha) (623 million acres) across 149 countries are being restored, creating more than 1 million green jobs—the largest documented global restoration effort to date. To reach 2030 commitments, action must rapidly increase, with a particular focus on freshwater, marine and coastal ecosystems, and annual restoration finance must more than quadruple. This investment could generate an estimated 32 million new jobs worldwide by 2030. The report, "Nature's comeback—scaling ecosystem restoration for people and planet", is published midway through the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). It provides the first comprehensive global assessment of progress against commitments to restore around 1 billion hectares (2.47 billion acres) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework target to ensure that by 2030, at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, freshwater, marine and coastal ecosystems are under effective restoration. Co-published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the report was launched at a high-level event during the U.N. Biodiversity Conference (COP17). The event recognized five outstanding initiatives in China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Italy and the United States as U.N. World Restoration Flagships—highlighting successful restoration drives around the world. "Today, we are witnessing the makings of one of the largest movements for nature in recorded history," said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. "Yet, at the halfway point of the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, we are still not restoring nature at the scale or speed required. By 2030, we must turn inspiring initiatives into systemwide action—shifting to restoration economies that protect what remains and restore what has been degraded." The global movement to restore nature extends beyond national programs to cities, schools, businesses and community initiatives. Since the start of the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, its partnership network has grown to more than 300 organizations across all regions. Asia accounts for most documented restoration Ecosystem restoration is essential for food and water security, climate resilience, jobs and well-being. Across all ecosystems, Asia accounts for 192.2 million ha (474.9 million acres) of the total documented area under restoration, followed by Africa with 36.3 million ha (89.7 million acres), Europe with 9.1 million ha (22.5 million acres), North and Central America with 5.8 million ha (14.3 million acres), South America with 5.4 million ha (13.3 million acres) and Oceania with 3.2 million ha (7.9 million acres). These differences do not rank restoration performance—they reflect the scale of restoration activity, regional land area and capacities in monitoring and reporting. Research indicates that restoring just 15% of global priority areas could capture and store 30% of carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent emissions since the Industrial Revolution and help avoid 60% of species extinctions. Documented successes among U.N. World Restoration Flagships include the recovery of species ranging from mountain gorillas in East Africa and jaguars in Brazil to snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan and Ganges River dolphins in India. Aquatic restoration trails progress on land Restoration progress is variable across ecosystems and countries, according to the report. Restoration of terrestrial ecosystems has reached nearly half the global target to have 30% of degraded terrestrial ecosystems under restoration by 2030. China reports the largest terrestrial area under restoration (127.4 million ha) (314.8 million acres), while substantial areas are also documented in Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Progress is far more limited in freshwater, marine and coastal ecosystems, which are also degrading at the fastest rates. Only 11 million ha (27.2 million acres) of freshwater ecosystems and 5.7 million ha (14.1 million acres) of marine and coastal ecosystems across 62 and 46 countries, respectively, are documented as being under restoration. However, momentum is growing: The share of parties reporting implemented wetland restoration or rehabilitation programs has risen from 8% to 54% since 2022. The report cautions that the limited reporting for aquatic restoration may result in an underestimation. Financing durable restoration economies Restoring nature for the resilience and well-being of people will require sustained political commitment and a more than fourfold increase in annual restoration finance, from $64 billion to $296 billion by 2030. The largest estimated annual investment needs are in agroforestry ($87 billion), restorative reforestation ($52 billion), peatland restoration ($44 billion) and seagrass restoration ($28 billion). "We cannot expect to fix nature with one hand while we destroy it with the other one," said Astrid Schomaker, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat. "Governments must address the drivers of ecosystem degradation and invest in monitoring mechanisms to ensure the durability of the restoration movement to date." Beyond 2030, restoration must be sustained long enough to enable recovery of ecosystem integrity and biodiversity while delivering lasting benefits for communities. Secure tenure, meaningful participation and respect for the rights, knowledge and leadership of Indigenous peoples and other rights-holders are essential to durable restoration. The report argues that the next phase of the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration must move beyond individual projects toward "restoration economies" capable of sustaining ecological recovery, livelihoods and long-term value at scale. More information Restoration progress report: Nature's comeback, (2026). DOI: 10.4060/ce2114en Provided by United Nations Environment Programme