7 projects the UN recognizes for their work restoring ecosystems

From reforestation in Africa to the recovery of marine habitats in Asia, these 7 projects highlighted by the UN demonstrate how we can change the planet’s environmental destiny.

In a world where human impact has left deep footprints on the natural landscape, a silent rebirth is gathering strength: the restoration of nature. This phenomenon in not only recovering damaged ecosystems, but also rewriting the future of the planet. This is evident in 7 ecosystem restoration initiatives recognized by the United Nations.

From the reforestation of vast areas of Africa to the recovery of marine habitats in Asia, these projects not only seek to restore lost biodiversity, but also empower local communities by involving them and creating sustainable jobs.

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7 initiatives driving ecosystem restoration across the world

Southern Africa is suffering from the impact of drought. The UN World Food Programme estimated that, in mid-2024, some 30 million people needed urgent aid. A couple of months later, the heads of state of the Southern African Development Community raised this figure to 68 million affected, 17% of the population of the region.

The size of the problem reached the point where the Namibian Government announced it would sacrifice 723 wild animals, among them 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 30 hippopotami, to provide meat to the affected population.

Amid this reality, the ecosystem restoration initiatives emerge as a beacon of hope. Not only do they seek to balance the relationship between human development and nature, but they also offer a long-term, sustainable solution for combating poverty, hunger and malnutrition. QU Dongyu, director general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emphasized in this article that restoration is fundamental in the face of demographic growth and increasing demand for food and ecosystem services.

In this context, the United Nations has recognized 7 flagship initiatives restoring ecosystems which stand out for their innovative approach and potential to transform.

Behind each initiative are stories of people and communities who decided to change the situation of their surroundings. From farmers who learned new sustainable agriculture techniques to fishers who now protect the reefs they once exploited, these stories are testimony to the power of restoration.

Restoring the Mediterranean basin, a climate change hot spot

According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, expectations for the Mediterranean basis point to temperatures in the region increasing 20% quicker than the global average and rainfall is forecast to decrease by 12% if global warming reaches 3°C.

The Mediterranean basin is the second most critical region for its breadth of biodiversity in the world, but 16% of its forest species are in danger of extinction due to the increase in fires and prolonged drought, consequences of climate change. Last summer saw the biggest forest fire ever recorded in Europe.

The Mediterranean Forest Restoration project, involving Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, has already restituted a surface area of around 2 million hectares in the region since 2017, over 500 times bigger than the size of Athens (Greece). The next target for the UN-recognized initiative is to restore 8 million hectares by 2030, focusing specifically on areas affected by forest fires.

The Indo River, an entity with the right to regeneration

At over 3,000 kilometers long, the Indo River has been the vibrant heart of the social, cultural and economic life of a region - today part of Pakistan -for more than 5,000 years. As the FAO says, 90% of the Pakistani population and over threequarters of its economy depends on the Indo basin.

Environmental degradation and climate change, however, are threatening the viability of the ecosystems that depend on this river. The Living Indus initiative arose to tackle the problem, seeking to restore 25 million hectares of fluvial basin (30% of the area of Pakistan).

Along with other actions on the ground, the initiative recognizes the Indo River as a living entity with rights, a measure adopted to protect rivers in other places such as Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, New Zealand, Peru and Sri Lanka.

Regreening the Andes mountain range

Andean forests play a crucial role for the climate and water reserves of South America. These ecosystems, which extend all along the Andes mountain range, truly act as green ‘lungs’, absorbing great quantities of carbon dioxide and helping regulate regional temperatures.

Yet these forests face significant dangers due to logging and unsustainable exploitation. Andean Action plans to restore and plant 30 million trees by 2030 in a vast swathe of vegetation that covers almost 800,000 hectares of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

Reversing the loss of mangroves in Sri Lanka

The loss of mangroves in Sri Lanka represents a significant threat to coastal protection and marine biodiversity. Mangroves act as natural barriers which mitigate the impact of extreme weather phenomena, thus protecting vulnerable coastal communities.

Factors such as uncontrolled urbanization, however, conversion of land for aquaculture, and logging, have contributed to their decline. This loss not only increases coastal erosion, but also negatively affects marine species that depend on the mangroves as places for breeding and refuge.

The Sri Lanka Mangrove Regeneration initiative has assumed the challenge of reversing this alarming tendency. Since starting up in 2015, it has managed to restore 500 hectares of mangroves and plans to expand its efforts to arrive at 10,000 hectares by 2030. This ambitious objective seeks not only to restore ecosystems, but also to strengthen the local economy via job creation.

Restoration of ecosystems in Terai Arco to promote cohabitation by humans and animals

More than 7 million people depend on the Terai Arco Landscape, which stretches over 5 million hectares between India and Nepal. It is also one of the world’s most important habitats for tigers, whose number has reduced considerably along with other species such as rhinoceroses and elephants.

The region faces the loss of habitats due to deforestation and a conflict between humans and animals, a problem exacerbated by agricultural expansion and non-planned urban development. Animals seeking food and refuge encroach upon farmland, causing significant economic harm and endangering the lives of people as well as other animals.

The Terai Arc Landscape aims to tackle these challenges with an integrated approach that seeks to restore 350,000 hectares of forest by 2030. This ambitious project focuses on conserving habitat and involving local communities in sustainable land management practices. The initiative also promotes reforestation and restoration of the ecological corridors that allow animals to move freely, thus reducing the risk of conflicts.

Regreening farmland in Africa

Non-sustainable agricultural practices in Africa have led to widespread soil degradation in several countries on the continent. The expansion of intensive agriculture, excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and deforestation, have contributed to the loss of soil nutrients, eroding and reducing its capacity to sustain healthy crops, endangering food security for millions of people.

The Regreening of Agriculture in Africa is using agroforestry techniques to restore 350,000 hectares, with plans to reach 5 million by 2030, integrating sustainable practices which will benefit over 600,000 households. Agroforestry integrates trees and shrubs in fields, helping to improve the soil structure, increasing its capacity for water retention and providing essential nutrients.

Also, adopting practices such as crop rotation, the incorporation of cover crops and use of organic fertilizers, farmers can improve soil health, which translates into better outputs and resilience against climate variations.

Benefits expected from this initiative are many and far-reaching. Improving soil health doesn’t only increase food production, but also contributes to food security and nutrition for local communities.

Restoring ecosystems in Africa through sustainable soil use

By the same token as the previous initiative, the Forest Garden Program was designed to reverse the negative effects of deforestation and promote land use that is compatible with environmental conservation in countries such as Cameroon, Chad, Gambia, Kenya, Mali, the Central African Republic, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda.

This ambitious program aims to restore between 41,000 and 229,000 hectares of land by 2030 through the implementation of sustainable practices. The initiative not only focuses on reforestation, but also capacitates farmers to create ‘forest gardens’, a system of integrating trees, crops and animals in a diversified agroecological environment.

These 7 UN-recognized restoration initiatives are demonstrating that ecosystem regeneration is possible and effective. By improving biodiversity and strengthening local communities, they offer a model of sustainable development balancing human progress with the health of the planet. Their success encourages us to take part in this collective effort, knowing that together we can build a greener and more prosperous future. Acting today is essential in assuring a better world for future generations.

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