Nature Restoration Gains Global Momentum

A record 252 million hectares of land and sea across 149 countries are undergoing ecological restoration, marking the largest documented global effort to revive damaged ecosystems and protect biodiversity.

“Today, we are witnessing the making of one of the largest movements for nature in recorded history,” says Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The restoration efforts, covering an area roughly the size of Kazakhstan, have already created more than one million green jobs worldwide. Projects range from restoring salmon spawning grounds in Canada and coral reefs in Indonesia to regenerating native vegetation in Brazil. The progress contributes to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which aims to restore around one billion hectares by 2030. Research suggests that restoring just 15% of global priority areas could prevent 60% of projected species extinctions while potentially sequestering carbon equivalent to 30% of emissions. Expanding restoration efforts could also create up to 32 million jobs worldwide by 2030, provided annual investment increases from $64 billion to $296 billion. Beyond protecting wildlife, healthy ecosystems strengthen food and water security, improve climate resilience and support livelihoods, demonstrating the far-reaching benefits of bringing nature back to life.