UN sees nature restoration on an unprecedented scale
A new UN report says 252 million hectares of land and sea are being restored in 149 countries, but the pace must increase.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
A new United Nations report says that 252 million hectares of nature are undergoing restoration worldwide. The researchers see progress, but warn that restoration of freshwater, coastal and marine areas is lagging particularly far behind.
The report was compiled by UNEP, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. It was presented on Thursday during the UN biodiversity conference COP17 in Yerevan.
The reported 252 million hectares are spread across 149 countries. According to the UN, this is the largest documented restoration programme to date. More than one million green jobs are involved in the projects, according to the organisations behind the report.
The figure does not mean that all this nature has been fully restored. It refers to areas where restoration measures are under way or have been registered. The quality, duration and outcome of the projects may vary between countries and ecosystems. The report therefore stresses that progress is not the same as achieving the international targets.
The countries have agreed to restore around one billion hectares of degraded ecosystems by 2030. It has also been agreed under the global biodiversity framework that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems on land and in freshwater, along coasts and at sea must be subject to effective restoration.
Progress is unevenly distributed. According to the report, Asia accounts for 192.2 million hectares of the registered area. Europe accounts for 9.1 million hectares. Freshwater, coastal and marine areas are lagging behind, even though these ecosystems are also deteriorating rapidly, according to the UN.
To meet the targets, annual funding for nature restoration must more than quadruple, the report says. The UN estimates that investment could create up to 32 million additional jobs by 2030, but this is an estimate rather than a guaranteed outcome.
According to the UN, registered nature restoration is increasing, but the world is not on course to meet the agreed targets. The organisations are therefore calling for more funding and a faster pace of restoration.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A UN report records 252 million hectares of nature restoration in 149 countries.
- The international target is to restore around one billion hectares by 2030.
- Freshwater, coastal and marine areas are lagging behind, according to the report.
- The UN says that funding for nature restoration must increase substantially.
Left
Arguments The figures show that restoration can succeed on a large scale only if governments set more stringent nature targets and deploy public funds. The costs should not fall entirely on citizens or nature organisations; companies and polluting sectors should contribute more.
Values Ecological limits, public responsibility, social justice and the protection of future generations.
Consequences More subsidies, regulations and spatial restrictions may be necessary. This could create short-term costs for agriculture, industry and infrastructure, but should limit damage and restoration costs later.
Centre
Arguments The report calls for policies that work in practice: measurable targets, checks on results and scope for cooperation between governments, farmers, businesses and local communities. Investment should go to projects whose ecological effects can be demonstrated.
Values Efficiency, public support, scientific scrutiny and administrative feasibility.
Consequences A phased approach may increase the chances of lasting restoration, but there is a risk that consultation and funding conditions will slow the pace.
Right
Arguments Nature restoration must go hand in hand with economic growth and food production. Governments should be cautious about broad obligations and should mainly make room for voluntary projects, innovation and private finance.
Values Property, enterprise, affordability and national control.
Consequences A market-oriented approach can limit costs for government and stimulate innovation, but without binding targets restoration projects may remain unevenly distributed and international goals may remain out of reach.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and international targets were checked against the UNEP publication and a second summary. The text distinguishes between registered restoration, projected jobs and demonstrably proven ecological outcomes.
- confirmed Nature is being restored across 252 million hectares in 149 countries. — Mentioned in the UNEP publication of 29 October 2026. source
- confirmed More than one million green jobs are involved in the projects. — Mentioned by UNEP. source
- confirmed Annual funding must more than quadruple. — Warning in the UN report as summarised by UNEP. source
- confirmed Asia accounts for 192.2 million hectares of the registered area and Europe for 9.1 million hectares. — Regional breakdown in the UNEP publication. source