Nature restoration reaches record scale
Ecosystems covering 252 million hectares are being restored across 149 countries, according to a new UN report.
Follow-up to: UN sees nature restoration on an unprecedented scale Thursday, 29 October 2026, 07:53
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More ecosystems are being restored worldwide than ever before recorded. At the same time, progress remains far below what is needed to meet international nature targets for 2030, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reports.
According to the new Restoration Progress Report, around 252 million hectares of degraded land, freshwater areas, coastal areas and sea are being restored or prepared for restoration in 149 countries. UNEP says this is the largest documented restoration effort to date.
The area is roughly the size of Kazakhstan. The report counts areas where restoration is taking place. This means it does not cover only nature that has already fully returned, but also areas where restoration measures are still being carried out.
The report cites examples in which species have recovered, including mountain gorillas in East Africa, jaguars in Brazil, snow leopards in Kyrgyzstan and river dolphins in India. UNEP links these developments to conservation measures, habitat restoration and cooperation with local communities.
The researchers also identify economic consequences. According to the report, the restoration programmes reported are associated with more than one million green jobs. The report says these figures include jobs directly or indirectly linked to restoration projects, meaning they cannot be compared straightforwardly with regular employment statistics.
The positive news is set against a significant shortfall. The international target is to restore around one billion hectares of ecosystems by 2030. Moreover, the 252 million hectares are not all at the same stage of progress and say nothing about the quality or sustainability of each individual project.
UNEP is therefore calling on countries to substantially increase funding and implementation. The report is not evidence that the global decline in biodiversity has stopped. It does, however, describe restoration programmes on a large scale.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Restoration programmes covering around 252 million hectares have been recorded in 149 countries.
- The international target is around one billion hectares by 2030.
- The reported area consists of different stages of restoration.
- UNEP warns that funding and implementation must accelerate.
Left
Arguments The report shows that nature restoration requires public funding and strong protection. From this perspective, market forces alone will be insufficient, because the value of nature is often not reflected in prices.
Values Ecological justice, public responsibility and protection of communities dependent on nature.
Consequences Greater investment could strengthen biodiversity and employment, but would also require stricter rules for polluting and resource-intensive sectors.
Centre
Arguments Restoration must be scaled up with measurable targets, long-term funding and cooperation between governments, businesses and local communities. Policy should distinguish between demonstrable restoration and plans on paper.
Values Effectiveness, accountability and broad cooperation.
Consequences A phased approach could build support, but progress may remain too slow to meet the international targets.
Right
Arguments Restoration projects work better when owners, farmers and businesses have a direct interest in healthy ecosystems. Innovation, private investment and economic incentives can deliver results more quickly than new general bans.
Values Ownership, economic freedom and efficient use of resources.
Consequences Private involvement could accelerate funding, but without public safeguards there is a risk that mainly profitable areas will be restored.
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 positive development and the important caveats are directly reflected in the UNEP report and the independent Reuters summary. No verifiable central claims requiring correction were found.
- confirmed Around 252 million hectares of ecosystems are being restored in 149 countries. — UNEP and Reuters both cite this area and number of countries. source
- confirmed The international target is to restore around one billion hectares by 2030. — The target is set out in the UNEP publication on the Restoration Progress Report. source
- confirmed The restoration programmes are linked to more than one million green jobs. — UNEP reports more than one million green jobs. source
- confirmed The 252 million hectares do not consist solely of fully restored nature. — The report covers areas under restoration or where restoration is being carried out; it follows that not all areas have been fully restored. source
Editor's note
The scale of restoration and the shortfall against the international target have been confirmed by UNEP and Reuters. The examples of species and the number of jobs come from the UN report; the figures measure restoration projects, not necessarily fully restored ecosystems.Sources
- Nature is making a comeback, but the world must move faster to meet restoration targets — UN Environment Programme
- UN says ecosystem restoration efforts must be rapidly scaled up — Reuters
- News-detail: Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
The story so far
- Thursday, 29 October 2026, 07:53 UN sees nature restoration on an unprecedented scale
- Friday, 30 October 2026, 13:54 Nature restoration reaches record scale (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „natuurherstel biodiversiteit”
- Het Parool — „natuurherstel biodiversiteit”
- de Volkskrant — „natuurherstel biodiversiteit”