UN report: 149 countries restore 252 million hectares of nature, but 2030 targets remain out of reach

A UN report published Thursday reveals that 149 countries are currently restoring approximately 252 million hectares of nature, an unprecedented level but still insufficient to meet global 2030 targets. The area is comparable to the size of Algeria or Argentina. The restoration efforts have focused primarily on land areas, covering 232 million hectares, compared to 11 million hectares of inland waters and 5.7 million hectares of marine and coastal waters. This remains well below targets for freshwater and marine ecosystems, which are degrading rapidly. The report was released during the COP17 biodiversity conference in Armenia, where nations are addressing lagging commitments. One million jobs have been created, but restoration rates must triple to reach the one billion hectare goal, with China leading at 137 million hectares.