Becoming #GenerationRestoration: ecosystem restoration for people, nature and climate
This report makes the case for why nature-based solutions, such as environmental restoration in particular, is so important and outlines how the UN Decade can catalyse a movement to restore the world’s ecosystems. All selected ecosystems – farmlands; forests; freshwater; grasslands, shrublands and savannahs; mountains; oceans and coasts; peatlands; and urban areas – are being degraded, often at an accelerating rate. Because ecosystem degradation does not affect everyone equally, its worst impacts mainly affect people living in poverty, women and girls, members of indigenous and traditional communities, older persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic, racial or other minorities and displaced persons. Healthy, stable and biodiverse ecosystems are the foundation of health and well-being, as well as that of fellow species. They help to regulate climate and control extreme events, pests and diseases, as well as to provide people with water, food, raw materials and spaces for recreation. They absorb waste, sustain economic sectors and the livelihoods of millions of people, and nurture health, culture and spiritual fulfilment.
This publication has seven key messages:
- Countries need to deliver on their existing commitments to restore 1 billion hectares of degraded land and make similar commitments for marine and coastal areas.
- Unfortunately, we are still going in the wrong direction.
- Ecosystem restoration is needed on a large scale in order to achieve the sustainable development agenda.
- Ecosystem restoration delivers multiple benefits. It is one of the most important ways of delivering nature-based solutions for societal challenges.
- Achieving successful ecosystem restoration at scale will require deep changes.
- Everyone has a role to play in ecosystem restoration.
- Achieving the aims of the UN Decade will require action by many.
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