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capacity and opportunities to maintain and improve livelihoods for all ; iii ) develop and implement policies and plans to prevent ecosystem degradation , in line with national laws and priorities , as appropriate ; iv ) build on and reinforce existing restoration initiatives in order to scale up good practices ; v ) facilitate synergies and a holistic view of how to achieve international commitments and national priorities through the restoration of ecosystems ; and vi ) promote the sharing of experiences and good practices in ecosystem conservation and restoration .
What is Ecosystem Restoration
Ecosystem restoration means assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed , as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact . Healthier ecosystems , with richer biodiversity , yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils , bigger yields of timber and fish , and larger stores of greenhouse gases .
Restoration can happen in many ways ; for example , through actively planting or by removing pressures so that nature can recover on its own . It is not always possible or desirable to return an ecosystem to its original state . We still need farmland and infrastructure on land that was once forest , for instance , and ecosystems , like societies , need to adapt to a changing climate .
Between now and 2030 , the restoration of 350 million hectares of degraded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems could generate USD9 trillion in ecosystem services . Restoration could also remove 13 to 26 gigatons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere . The economic benefits of such interventions exceed nine times the cost of investment , whereas inaction is at least three times more costly than ecosystem restoration .
All kinds of ecosystems can be restored , including forests , farmlands , cities , wetlands and oceans . Restoration initiatives can be launched by almost anyone , from Governments and development agencies to businesses , communities and individuals . That is because the causes of degradation are many and varied , and can have an impact at different scales .
For instance , degradation may result from harmful policies such as subsidies for intensive farming or weak tenure laws that encourage deforestation . Lakes and coastlines can become polluted because of poor waste management or an industrial accident . Commercial pressures can leave towns and cities with too much asphalt and too few green spaces .
Types of Ecosystem Restoration
From forests and farmlands to freshwater , oceans and coasts , the vitality and diversity of Earth ’ s ecosystems are the basis of human prosperity and well-being . Yet we are degrading these precious resources in alarming ways . The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is an opportunity to help turn the tide and give people and nature a sustainable future .
Leading the UN Decade
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world , for the benefit of people and nature .
The UN Decade runs from 2021 through 2030 , which is also the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals and the timeline scientists have identified as the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change .
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade following a proposal for action by over 70 countries from all latitudes .
Led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations , The UN Decade is building a strong , broad-based global movement to ramp up restoration and put the world on track for a sustainable future . That will include building political momentum for restoration as well as thousands of initiatives on the ground .
Through communications , events and a dedicated web platform , the UN Decade will provide a hub for everyone interested in restoration to find projects , partners , funding and
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