Ecosystem restoration: from global goals to practical action
Ecosystem restoration gained prominence in 2021, when the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) began. The initiative aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Restoration does not necessarily mean rebuilding an environment exactly as it was. It can involve recovering ecological functions, supporting natural regeneration, reducing pressures that cause degradation, or conserving ecosystems that remain intact. The appropriate approach depends on local conditions, community needs and the objectives being pursued.
UNEP estimated that restoring 350 million hectares of degraded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems by 2030 could generate US$9 trillion in ecosystem services and remove between 13 and 26 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. These are estimates of potential, not outcomes already achieved.
Restoration requires attention to unintended consequences. An intervention that prioritises carbon sequestration alone may fail to recover biodiversity or water-related ecosystem services. Planning should account for ecological and social context, community participation, durability and monitoring.
Life-cycle thinking and systems analysis can help identify pressures, impact shifting and trade-offs between objectives. UNEP's Ecosystem Restoration Playbook provides a practical introduction to identifying opportunities, mobilising partners and reducing pressures on nature.
References