Ecosystem Restoration Reaches 252 Million Hectares Worldwide, but Efforts Must Triple by 2030

• Nature

Ecosystem restoration is gaining momentum across the world, but current progress remains insufficient to meet international biodiversity and conservation targets. A total of 149 countries have launched restoration initiatives covering approximately 252 million hectares, representing the largest documented effort to date. However, this area accounts for only around one-quarter of the one billion hectares that governments have collectively pledged to restore.

A new United Nations assessment warns that global restoration efforts must triple by 2030 if countries are to meet their commitments to reverse environmental degradation and protect biodiversity. The challenge involves not only expanding the areas covered by restoration projects but also ensuring that ecosystems recover their natural functions and maintain ecological improvements over time.

The report, titled Nature’s Comeback: Scaling Ecosystem Restoration for People and Planet, was prepared jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

This first comprehensive global assessment of ecosystem restoration highlights significant differences between geographical regions and environmental categories. While terrestrial ecosystems account for most documented restoration activities, rivers, wetlands, marine environments and coastal habitats remain considerably behind.

Global Ecosystem Restoration Remains Behind 2030 Targets

The 252 million hectares currently covered by restoration initiatives represent an important step forward in international efforts to reverse environmental degradation. Nevertheless, considerable progress is still needed to achieve the commitments made by governments.

The global objective is linked to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in December 2022 during the United Nations Biodiversity Conference. Its Target 2 calls for at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, marine and coastal ecosystems to be under effective restoration by 2030.

The gap between current restoration activities and international commitments highlights the scale of the challenge. Launching environmental projects is not enough. Countries must expand their initiatives, improve planning and establish reliable systems to measure ecological outcomes.

Geographical distribution also reveals considerable differences. Asia accounts for approximately 192.2 million hectares under restoration, representing 76.3% of the global total. Africa follows with 36.3 million hectares, while Europe accounts for 9.1 million.

North and Central America report approximately 5.8 million hectares, compared with 5.4 million in South America and 3.2 million in Oceania.

At the national level, China leads documented terrestrial restoration, with approximately 127.4 million hectares. However, the report emphasizes that these figures should not be interpreted as a ranking of environmental performance, since national territory size and differences in reporting methodologies also influence the results.

Rivers, Wetlands and Marine Ecosystems Are Being Left Behind

One of the most concerning findings is the significant imbalance between restoration efforts targeting terrestrial environments and those addressing aquatic ecosystems.

Approximately 232 million hectares, equivalent to around 92% of the documented global total, involve terrestrial ecosystems. By comparison, freshwater restoration covers approximately 11 million hectares, while marine and coastal initiatives account for around 5.7 million hectares.

This imbalance is particularly worrying because aquatic environments face growing pressures from pollution, infrastructure development, excessive resource extraction and climate change.

Rivers play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity, providing freshwater, supporting agricultural production and sustaining ecological processes. However, dams, artificial channel modifications, water extraction and pollution can significantly alter their natural functioning.

Wetlands are equally important. These ecosystems provide habitats for numerous species, regulate water cycles, store carbon and help reduce the impacts of flooding. Despite these benefits, their continued degradation and disappearance remain major environmental concerns worldwide.

According to the assessment, approximately 384 million hectares of freshwater ecosystems have disappeared since 1970. Wetlands are also disappearing at a considerably faster rate than forests, highlighting the need for more targeted conservation and restoration policies.

Restoring these environments requires more than removing waste or planting vegetation. Effective projects must also restore natural water flows, reconnect fragmented habitats, reduce pollution and protect the species that depend on these ecosystems.

The Dominican Republic Highlights the Economic Importance of Ecosystem Restoration

The global findings are particularly relevant to island and coastal countries such as the Dominican Republic, where forests, watersheds, mangroves, coral reefs and coastal habitats contribute directly to economic activity and community well-being.

The country’s natural ecosystems provide essential services related to freshwater availability, agricultural productivity, tourism and protection against climate-related hazards. Their degradation can therefore have consequences extending far beyond biodiversity loss.

According to a national ecosystem assessment presented by the Dominican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in June 2026, ecosystem services contribute between 4.2% and 7.6% of national GDP. Coastal and marine ecosystems alone were estimated to generate approximately US$1.79 billion in annual value.

These figures demonstrate why environmental restoration is also an economic priority. Healthy natural habitats support tourism, fisheries, water resources and the resilience of coastal communities.

The Dominican Republic has undertaken several initiatives to address these challenges. In Miches, El Seibo province, the El Seibo Resiliente project, implemented between 2020 and 2026, supported the rehabilitation of mangroves, wetlands, riverbanks and forest areas in the La Yeguada River basin.

Other initiatives have focused on recovering the Ozama and Isabela rivers, restoring the Haina River basin and strengthening the protection of the Yaque del Norte watershed.

These projects demonstrate the importance of combining ecological rehabilitation with improved water management, environmental monitoring and community participation.

The country is also advancing its national biodiversity planning and reporting processes, including preparations for its Seventh National Biodiversity Report and the updating of its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

For the Dominican Republic, the international assessment reinforces the importance of measuring not only how many hectares are included in restoration projects, but also whether water quality improves, habitats recover and ecosystems regain their natural functions.

The Lack of Reliable Data Makes Restoration Progress Difficult to Measure

Beyond financing and geographical differences, monitoring environmental outcomes remains another major obstacle to global restoration efforts.

The report highlights that, of the 125 countries that had submitted their national biodiversity reports by March 2026, 63 had not provided quantitative data on restoration progress.

This information gap makes it difficult to determine precisely which areas are being restored, what techniques are being used and, most importantly, whether ecological conditions are actually improving.

Counting hectares covered by restoration initiatives does not necessarily mean that an ecosystem has recovered. Evaluating the success of these projects requires monitoring indicators such as water quality, species population recovery, vegetation regeneration and the ability of natural environments to maintain their ecological processes.

During the presentation of the assessment, FAO specialist Yelena Finegold emphasized the importance of addressing two priorities simultaneously: expanding restoration activities and improving the systems used to measure their results.

Reliable information will help identify successful initiatives, guide investment decisions and prevent projects from focusing exclusively on meeting numerical targets without delivering lasting ecological improvements.

Environmental Financing Must Increase to Meet Global Targets

Insufficient financial resources represent another major obstacle to accelerating ecosystem restoration worldwide.

According to the report, global investment in restoration reached US$64 billion in 2022. However, annual funding will need to increase to approximately US$296 billion by 2030 to meet the growing requirements of ecosystem recovery.

This represents an increase of more than four times the current investment level.

The public sector remains the main source of funding, accounting for approximately 73% of total investment, while private sources contribute the remaining 27%.

Achieving international targets will require greater participation from businesses, financial institutions and private investors, alongside continued government support and multilateral financing.

UNEP environmental economist Salman Hussain highlighted the economic potential of restoration activities, noting that every dollar invested can generate up to US$30 in benefits through improvements in agricultural productivity, water availability and carbon sequestration.

This potential return demonstrates that restoring nature should not be viewed solely as an environmental expense. It can also support economic development, strengthen food security and reduce the costs associated with natural resource degradation.

The growing need for environmental investment is also connected to wider international climate financing challenges. The discussion surrounding global climate finance gaps and the funding needed to address climate change illustrates why mobilizing sufficient resources has become essential for countries seeking to strengthen their environmental resilience.

Ecosystem Restoration Could Generate Millions of Jobs

Restoring natural environments can deliver benefits that extend beyond biodiversity protection and climate regulation. It also represents an opportunity to create employment and develop new economic activities linked to sustainability.

The 35 flagship restoration initiatives recognized by the United Nations have contributed to the creation of more than 1.1 million jobs.

Furthermore, the report estimates that the sector could generate over 32 million jobs by 2030, supporting activities related to forest recovery, wetland rehabilitation, river protection and the regeneration of degraded land.

These projects require professionals specializing in environmental engineering, forest management, species conservation, water treatment, land-use planning and ecosystem monitoring.

Nature restoration can also support rural communities, particularly in regions where agriculture, fishing and other economic activities depend directly on healthy ecosystems.

The report also highlights the potential contribution of restoration to climate mitigation. Restoring 15% of the planet’s priority areas could store an amount of carbon equivalent to 30% of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide recorded since the Industrial Revolution.

In addition, these interventions could help prevent 60% of species extinctions projected under certain environmental degradation scenarios.

Investing in ecosystem restoration therefore means not only recovering natural habitats but also developing an important tool for addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and strengthening local economies.

The European Union Plans to Restore 25,000 Kilometers of Free-Flowing Rivers

Freshwater ecosystem recovery is an important component of European environmental policy. One of the most significant commitments is included in the European Union Nature Restoration Regulation, which establishes specific measures to improve the condition of rivers and other natural environments.

Among its objectives is the restoration of at least 25,000 kilometers of rivers to free-flowing conditions by 2030.

To achieve this target, EU member states must identify and remove artificial barriers that interrupt river connectivity, where environmentally appropriate and taking existing uses into account.

These obstacles can include obsolete dams, small weirs and other infrastructure that prevents the natural movement of water and restricts the passage of sediments and aquatic species.

Restoring a river involves much more than improving its physical appearance. It requires recovering the ecological processes that allow the river to function naturally, improving water quality and supporting the regeneration of aquatic habitats.

River connectivity is essential for numerous fish species and other organisms that need to move between different areas to feed, reproduce or complete their life cycles.

Natural sediment movement also helps maintain river habitats and the geomorphological processes that shape freshwater environments.

This approach demonstrates why measuring restoration exclusively in hectares can be insufficient. In certain ecosystems, recovering natural functions and ecological connections is just as important as the total area covered by restoration projects.

A Global Challenge Requiring Long-Term Investment and Commitment

The United Nations assessment presents a picture of significant progress accompanied by persistent structural weaknesses. The 252 million hectares currently covered by restoration initiatives represent an important international achievement, but remain far below the commitments established for 2030.

The concentration of projects in terrestrial environments, limited investment in aquatic restoration, insufficient comparable data and growing financing requirements highlight some of the main challenges that must be addressed.

Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, has emphasized the importance of tackling the underlying causes of environmental degradation rather than relying exclusively on isolated restoration projects.

This requires better land-use planning, pollution reduction, sustainable natural resource management and stronger participation from local communities and Indigenous Peoples.

Ecosystem restoration must become a sustained environmental policy priority, supported by long-term investment, measurable objectives and monitoring systems capable of demonstrating genuine improvements.

The time remaining to achieve the 2030 targets is becoming increasingly limited. The coming years will be decisive in determining whether international commitments translate into meaningful biodiversity recovery and the restoration of the natural services on which societies and economies depend.