Dead planet, living planet: biodiversity and ecosystem restoration for sustainable development

A rapid response assessment:

This report incorporates ecosystem restoration as an active policy option for disaster prevention and mitigation from floods, tsunamis, storms or drought. It asserts that coral reefs, mangroves, wetlands, catchment forests and vegetation, marshes and natural riparian vegetation provide some of the most efficient flood and storm mitigation systems available, and advocates for the restoration of these ecosystems to be a primary incentive in flood risk and disaster mitigation planning.

The report is a contribution to the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity and is a complement to the UNEP-hosted Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) which is bringing visibility to the wealth of the world’s natural capital. It documents over 30 successful case studies referencing thousands of restoration projects ranging from deserts and rainforests to rivers and coasts. It confirms that restoration is not only possible but can prove highly profitable in terms of public savings; returns and the broad objectives of overcoming poverty and achieving sustainability. It also provides important recommendations on how to avoid pitfalls and how to minimize risks to ensure successful restoration.