Target 2
Restore 30% of all Degraded Ecosystems
Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity.
Ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity.
Rationale
GSAP
Restoring degraded natural ecosystems increases the area of habitat for their constituent species, enhances connectivity and restores full ecosystem function.
GSAP SKILLS
Ecological restoration, when implemented effectively and sustainably, contributes to protecting biodiversity, improving human health and wellbeing, increasing food and water security, delivering ecosystem services and economic prosperity, and supporting climate change mitigation, resilience, and adaptation. Combined with conservation and sustainable use of species, ecological restoration can transfer local, regional, and global environmental conditions from a state of degradation to net positive improvement.
Primary tools and resources
The CBD Ecosystem Approach (EA)
The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Ecosystem Approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and living resources to promote conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. It is the primary framework for such action under the CBD and it contains 12 core principles. The Ecosystem Approach Sourcebook contains a Beginner’s Guide, Advanced Guide, Tools and resources, a Case Study Database, and Operational guidance for applying the 12 principles of the Ecosystem Approach.
How to use
To access the EA Sourcebook and operational guides: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/
To download and subscribe to the CBD Ecosystem Newsletter: https://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/ea-newsletters/
Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM)
The FERM framework was developed by FAO to support countries in reporting areas under restoration for Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It is the official monitoring platform for tracking global progress and sharing good practice for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It includes the FERM Guidance which provides information, a geospatial platform, and a registry of restoration initiatives.
International Principles & Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration
These principles were developed by the FAO, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, and the Society for Ecological Restoration to support implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The second edition of was produced by the Society Ecological Restoration in 2019. These Standards provide a guide for everyone involved in restoring degraded ecosystems — whether terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, or marine. They present a robust framework for restoration projects including effective design and implementation. The Standards support development of ecological restoration plans, contracts, consent conditions, and monitoring and auditing criteria. The Standards establish eight principles that underpin ecological restoration and recommend performance measures for restoration activities for industries, communities, and governments to consider. The second edition also includes an expanded glossary of restoration terminology.
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a global call to action, drawing together political support, scientific research, and finance to massively scale up restoration of terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems. It is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), working with other partners. The website contains a, social media cards, sample messaging, and an animated visual identity designed for users to use or modify according to their needs.
How to use
To obtain information: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/charting-course-global-restoration
To contribute to the UN Decade: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/join-movement
The IUCN Restoration Barometer
The IUCN Restoration Barometer is designed for use by countries that have committed to restore landscapes under international goals or agreements. It is used by governments to track the progress of restoration targets across all terrestrial ecosystems including coastal and inland waters. The Barometer allows governments to simplify and streamline reporting on their restoration commitments and it to track and record progress towards global goals, including The Bonn Challenge, the 30×30 target under the Post-2020 GBF, the Paris Agreement, and the Land Degradation Neutrality Target. Ecosystem restoration interventions are classified according to the IUCN Restoration Intervention Typology for Terrestrial Ecosystems (RITTE) and categorization of ecosystems by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The Barometer has eight indicators and records the size of the area being brought under restoration as well as the corresponding climate, biodiversity, and socio-economic benefits. Currently, only government focal points can create accounts on the Barometer website. New users can request an account and after verification, restoration related data can be entered securely. A set of simple tutorials is provided to assist the process.
Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric
The STAR metric assesses the potential of particular actions at a specific location to contribute to reduce species extinction risk / global targets for species. It measures the potential contribution of two kinds of action: threat abatement / reduction and habitat restoration using data on the distribution, threats, and extinction risk of threatened species contained in the IUCN Red List. It helps governments, the finance industry, investors, and companies to target their investments and activities to achieve conservation outcomes for threatened species. The STAR metric can be applied to any location. It is maintained under the authority of the IUCN Red List Committee.
IUCN Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors
Connectivity conservation is essential for managing healthy ecosystems, conserving biodiversity and adapting to climate change across all biomes and spatial scales. Well-connected ecosystems support a diversity of ecological functions such as migration, hydrology, nutrient cycling, pollination, seed dispersal, food security, climate resilience and disease resistance. These Guidelines are based on the best available science and practice for maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecological connectivity among and between protected areas, other effective areas based conservation measures (OECMs) and other intact ecosystems. For the first time, this publication introduces a common definition and recommends formal recognition of ecological corridors to serve as critical building blocks of ecological networks in conjunction with protected areas and OECMs. Furthermore, these Guidelines also include 25 case studies that demonstrate current approaches to conserving ecological connectivity and ecological networks for different ecosystems and species, and at different spatial and temporal scales.
Guidelines for the application of IUCN Red List of Ecosystems categories and criteria
The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems is a global framework for monitoring the status of ecosystems. It is part of the growing toolbox for assessing risks to biodiversity and aims to support conservation, resource use, and management decisions by identifying ecosystems most at risk of biodiversity loss. The basis of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems is the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria, a set of eight categories and five criteria that provide a consistent method for assessing the risk of ecosystem collapse. These Guidelines assist correct implementation of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria by providing information on the development of the protocol and a detailed overview of the scientific foundations supporting the categories and criteria.
Other tools and resources
Restoring ecosystems to reduce drought risk
Historically, droughts have caused extensive damage. Effective responses to drought remain a challenge, with reactive and crisis-oriented approaches dominating many interventions. The consequences of drought extend beyond households and rural livelihoods, impacting industrial operations and sectors such as energy, agriculture and water supply. Integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into drought policies requires a comprehensive, context-aware approach. The aim of this publication is to give authorities and stakeholders the knowledge required to integrate NbS into drought management efforts at global, national, and local levels.
Principles for ecosystem restoration to guide the United Nations Decade 2021–2030
These principles were developed by the FAO, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, and the Society for Ecological Restoration. This brochure supports the implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It presents 10 principles for ecosystem restoration including a first principle that orients restoration in the context of the UN Decade, followed by nine best-practice principles. These best-practice principles detail the essential tenets of ecosystem restoration that should be followed to maximize net gain for native biodiversity, ecosystem health and integrity, and human health and well-being, across all biomes, sectors and regions.
WWF Nature Based Solution report
Nature is in freefall. Humanity’s addiction to burning fossil fuels and converting natural ecosystems for agriculture is changing the climate, degrading once-productive lands and driving plant and animal species to extinction. And it’s no coincidence that millions of people each year are killed by the direct consequences of poverty, lack of clean water or adequate nutrition, extreme weather and exposure to new virulent pests and diseases.
We now have a better understanding of the power of nature and how to unleash its potential through an extremely important concept: nature-based solutions.
Protecting, restoring and enhancing natural ecosystems holds the potential to help tackle many of the challenges facing our planet – from climate change and nature loss to food insecurity – and to increase resilience to future risks. But these solutions need our support to overcome the structural barriers holding them back.
International Whaling Commission Sanctuaries Conservation Management Plans (CMPs)
Conservation Management Plans (CMPs) are an important conservation initiative of the IWC. They provide a framework for countries within the range of vulnerable cetacean populations (known as range states) to work together, and in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, to protect and rebuild those populations.
Biodiversity guidelines for forest landscape restoration opportunities assessments
Biodiversity is inherent in forest landscape restoration. As global initiatives like the Bonn Challenge and New York Declaration on Forests inspire nations to pursue sustainable landscapes and economic growth, on the ground, biodiversity binds people and nature to their shared future. These guidelines are intended to provide more context, more resources and fresh perspectives to the ongoing global interaction between biodiversity conservation and forest landscape restoration. They do so in the context of the methodology used by dozens of countries and jurisdictions to help practitioners working on identifying and realising their landscape restoration goals — and they should be interpreted as a companion to the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM).
A guide to the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM)
Recent developments have seen forest landscape restoration (FLR) become widely recognized as an important means of not only restoring ecological integrity at scale but also generating additional local-to-global benefits. This handbook presents the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM), which provides a flexible and affordable framework for countries to rapidly identify and analyse FLR potential and locate special areas of opportunity at a national or sub-national level. The handbook offers practical advice and options to bear in mind when considering or conducting an FLR assessment using ROAM, as well as real-life examples of the kinds of outputs you can expect, and will enable you to commission or design a tailor-made process to meet your specific needs. This “road-test” edition of the handbook is being circulated to engage others in the process of learning about — and improving — the methodology. A revised version of the handbook will be published at a later date in order to integrate learning from the road-testing process.
Solutions and case studies
Restoring degraded forests through ANR
In support of the Government of Malawi’s National Forestry Landscape Restoration Strategy, and the Dedza District Council’s FLR Action Plan, the Department of Forestry (DoF), with support from Modern Cooking for Healthy Forests activity has engaged local communities using data (e.g., from the National FLR Assessment, the National Forest Inventory, and the Deforestation Assessment) to prioritize degradation hotspots in selected Forest Reserves and adjacent landscapes. The degradation hotspots are focal points for “restoration” interventions–including a number of hotspots in/around the Mua- Livulezi Forest Reserve.
Cloncrow Bog Natural Heritage Area – restoring a degraded Irish midland raised bog
Ireland has ca. 1.46 Mha of peatlands. Today about 85% of all peatlands are degraded through conversion to agriculture and forestry, extraction and horticulture. The pilot site is part of a Natural Heritage Area. The site (33 ha) consists of drained high bog and cutover bog. It was impacted by 28,000 m of extensive ditching in the high bog and cutover as well as legacy effects of bog cutting. This scenario provided an opportunity for restoration works within NWE Interreg Care-Peat project. Restoration activities were successfully completed in October 2020. The existing drain network was blocked with earthen dams at a ratio of 1 dam for every 10 cm rise in elevation. It was completed by diggers and resulted in exposed areas of bare peat. It formed experimental areas for Sphagnum transfers. Monitoring of restoration success is ongoing with assessment of dam and bunding integrity. A total of 24 collars plots are sampled monthly. Overall the carbon stocks at the site are estimated at 42,074 Mg/ha.
Establishing a Mangrove Restoration Strategy in Guinea-Bissau
In Guinea-Bissau, The Restoration Initiative (TRI) has been working to establish policies that enhance the restoration of the country’s three mangrove ecosystems. The project has used participatory territorial diagnoses to identify restoration opportunities in each of the three regions and worked to improve Guinea-Bissau’s regulatory framework for mangrove restoration. As the diagnoses work to build local capacity and define priorities for the development of natural resource laws, TRI has also focused on developing proposals for a National Mangrove Law and National Mangrove Restoration Strategy, which will fill gaps and strengthen institutions in the country’s legal, regulatory, and legislative landscape. To date, TRI’s work has resulted in a second, and likely final, draft of the National Mangrove Law, which regulates the sustainable management of the country’s mangrove ecosystems, as well as a newly drafted National Mangrove Strategy, which outlines how the law will be implemented.
TRI is a GEF-funded project
Community-Based and Assisted Natural Mangrove Restoration
Mangroves are uniquely valuable coastal wetlands forming the natural transition zone between land and sea. They are preserving biodiversity, mitigating against climate change and sustaining livelihoods. However, they are globally degraded and are therefore a priority for ecosystem restoration.
Madagascar contains Africa’s fourth largest extent of mangroves with various species providing critical ecosystem goods and services to coastal communities and supporting rich biodiversity. Unfortunately, Madagascar’s mangroves are being rapidly degraded and, in some areas, completely deforested.
The Global Project Forests4Future (F4F), launched by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), uses a low-cost Community-Based and Assisted Natural Mangrove Restoration method in the Diana region (Madagascar) to restore degraded mangrove ecosystems. This technique allows tidal currents and seedling (propagule) establishment in more inland located and degraded mangrove ecosystems using excavated water channels.
Balancing Act: Managing Native Plants and Grazing Horses on Assateague Island
The Grazing Horses of Assateague Island are an introduced species characterizing this Barrier island, which are typically long spits of land that play an important role in protecting coastlines from the worst wind and weather coming off the ocean. Assateague’s rich salt marsh ecosystem provides habitat for diverse wildlife, and on the dune side facing the open sea, native plants help resist erosion. The grazing of the horse herd was reducing the abundance of species; without sufficient grasses to stabilize the dunes, the island would be at risk of being washed away by the waves. Also, the patterns of the horses were altering plant and animal communities, allowing invasive plants to take hold and disrupting natural ecological processes and the nesting of many bird species. CPSG joined stakeholders, and after deliberation and competing goals for managing the island, the group agreed on a population target of 80-100 horses to protect the plant communities in addition to the herd’s genetic health.
