Implementing
forest and landscaperestoration at scale
Tiina Vähänen
Forestry Department, FAO
11 December 2019, COP25

United Nations Decade on
Ecosystem Restoration
2021-2030

The need for action
Land Degradation:
Negatively affecting well-being of 3.2 billion people
Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services = 10% of global GDP

Forests:
70 M ha lost
since 2000

Wetlands:
70% lost inlast century

Drastic declineof coral reefs andseagrass beds

Technology and innovation for restoration monitoring
Open Foris
Free and open source tools for datacollection, analysis and reporting– 20,000 installations– used in 60+ countries– collaboration with countries

SEPAL
Cloud-based platform for autonomous
land monitoring– 4,000+ usersin 225 organizations in 85
countries

Financial support provided by

Restoration monitoring - in practice• Support to assess global restoration potential and pilotenhancement monitoring in 4 countries (2018-2021)– Cambodia, Myanmar, Kenya and Uganda• Transfer capacity and knowledge to more effectively
identify areas for restoration to maximize carbon andsocio-economic benefits• Restoration assessment and monitoring tools to beavailable on SEPAL – in collaboration with ETH Zurich andWageningen University

Global tree restoration potential

Extra 900 Mha canopy cover= 205 (±68) GtC

Bastin et al.(2019) Science

The Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM)• Established at COFO 2014
• Goal to support countries in planning andimplementation of FLR as a contribution
to Bonn Challenge and CBD Aichi
Biodiversity Targets• An integrated approach, implemented incollaboration with GPFLR partners

National support
Support countries to plan, implement and monitor FLR
action plans or strategies

Regional support
Support existing regional Initiatives on FLR (AFR100, 20x20
in Latin America, Mediterranean, Asia-Pacific initiative)

Global support
Development and implementation of FLR efforts throughknowledge management, communication and outreachFLRM Beneficiary Countries
Central Africa Republic

MoroccoBurkina Faso
GuineaGuatemalaGuineaSão Tomé e Príncipe

2016 - 2020

Peru

Democratic Republicof the Congo2018 - 2022
2018 - 2023

Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea

Niger

Pakistan

LebanonPhilippines

UgandaEthiopia
Kenya

Cambodia

Madagascar
Madagascar

Rwanda2020 - 2024
TCP*
* Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP): Each TCP project has a maximum budget of USD 500 000 and a maximum duration of 24 months

FijiAction AgainstDesertification- supporting Africa’s
Great Green Wall

Tree cover gap from
“optimum”= 166 million ha ofrestoration opportunities in
GWW core area

Transformative Investment in Larger Scale Restoration
AAD achieved over 50, 000 ha of degraded lands planted for restoration in 4years

Initial land preparation, Burkina Faso

2-year result of restoration, Burkina Faso

www.fao.org/in-action/action-against-desertification

o Assist countries in identifying drivers of deforestation and degradation and implementing REDD+actions -- in a wider context of sustainable developmento Help countries develop and operationalize their National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) andbuild their forest reference levels, measure and monitor results of REDD+ actions

• Around 70 countries (64 UN-REDD member countries
and other REDD+ initiatives)• Global, regional and national programmes• South-south Cooperation

Way forward• Nature based solutions are key– Help mitigation, adaptation and resilience, conserveand restore ecosystems– Ensure nature contributes to resilient livelihoods,
green job generation and rural poverty reduction• UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
as a timely vehicle

Mass movement for action andknowledge sharingThank you