Globally, around 1 billion hectares have been committed to land restoration.[1]. Ecosystem restoration, inclusive of all ecosystems spanning terrestrial, inland water, marine, and coastal areas, is a powerful nature-based solution and ecosystem-based approach to multiple crises, including biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation, which severely affect livelihoods in many regions of the world.

The next six years are critical as we accelerate toward the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework implementation, and the Bonn Challenge. With so much at stake, expectations have never been higher for ecosystem restoration to deliver substantial benefits. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides a strategic and operational framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Countries have adopted a global target aiming for at least 30 percent of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems to be under effective restoration by 2030. The Framework also provides qualifiers for effective restoration, which enhances biodiversity, integrity, and connectivity of ecosystems, as well as ecosystem functions and services.

The panel discussion, convened by IUCN, will spotlight critical resources and innovative partnerships tailored to meet the urgent need for action internationally and within countries. These include knowledge-sharing and collaborative platforms, programmatic and integrated initiatives, and ecosystem restoration approaches developed through strategic partnerships. Our discussion aims to accelerate ecosystem restoration initiatives and share insights from the IUCN’s ecosystem conservation and restoration initiatives, supported by the German and the UK Government, to bolster global efforts by translating policies into implementation.

This event will bring the latest knowledge and tools for ecosystem restoration and progress monitoring, as well as national experiences, to facilitate a dialogue with the countries, partners, and significant groups on data, knowledge, and capacity-building needs to support the implementation of the Framework.

Organization and contact person: IUCN 

Moderator: Chetan Kumar