Vast areas of damaged natural environment set to be saved
A new UN report shows that vast areas of damaged natural habitat are being restored across the globe. In total, this covers an area 5.6 times the size of Sweden.
The jaguar in South America, the snow leopard in Kyrgyzstan and the dolphin in India are examples of animals whose populations are recovering.
In 2022, the world’s nations pledged to restore 1 billion hectares of degraded land to thriving natural ecosystems by 2030. Halfway through this period, the figure stands at 252 million hectares. Although there is still a long way to go – and the pace would need to triple – this represents a larger area than ever before, as two UN agencies highlight in a new report.
As part of the Chinese ‘Blue Bay’ restoration project, 150,000 hectares of coastal areas have been restored, benefiting species such as the delta dolphin.
‘Research shows that even if we restore just 15 per cent of our priority areas, this could capture and store 30 per cent of the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, and it could help prevent 60 per cent of species extinctions,’ said Doreen Robinson of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at a press conference.
The report is the first global assessment in this field. It is based on data provided by the countries themselves, as well as on analyses and data submitted by various projects. Projects are underway in 149 countries across almost the entire world.
‘We have vulnerable and endangered species such as the saiga antelope, the mountain gorilla and the jaguar returning to their ecosystems,’ said Yelena Finegold of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at the press conference.
Projects are underway in Colombia to restore mangrove forests and coastal wetlands.
Corridors connect
Nature can be damaged or degraded as a result of overexploitation, destruction, climate change, pollution and invasive species. Between 2015 and 2019, the proportion of degraded land area globally rose from 11.5 per cent to 15.4 per cent. The UN highlights 35 flagship projects around the world. One example is wilderness corridors designed to reconnect the forest that once stretched across parts of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, but which has become fragmented. This allows the jaguar and the golden-headed lion tamarin to move freely between forest areas.
In Kyrgyzstan, the rare snow leopard is making a comeback following extensive conservation efforts, with ecotourism also becoming an important source of income.
Along the sacred River Ganges in India, sewage and industrial waste are now being treated at new treatment plants. In this vital source of drinking water, the elusive Ganges river dolphin has also begun to recover.
Five new projects
In connection with the UN meeting on biodiversity, five new projects have been selected, two of which are in urban areas. In Milan, Italy, three million trees have been planted on former industrial sites and car parks, and in Seattle, invasive plants have given way to native species as 831 hectares have been restored.
Seattle has become a greener city.
The UN Summit on Biodiversity is usually held every two years. The current summit, COP17, is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, between 19 and 30 October.
COP stands for Conference of the Parties and refers to the parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The number indicates which meeting in the series it is.
In 2022, the Canadian city of Montréal hosted the summit. The historic agreement reached there comprises 23 action targets and is known as the Kunming–Montréal GBF (Global Biodiversity Framework). Among other things, it aims to protect 30 per cent of land and sea areas by 2030.
The addition of ‘Kunming’ stems from the fact that the Chinese city was originally due to host the meeting, a plan that was changed due to China’s COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
