As a decade of ecosystem restoration kicks off, don't forget the people

Global ecosystem restoration efforts are often measured by billions of trees planted or square kilometers of land restored. But there is a critical void in the agenda: The social and political dimensions that make restoration a success.

With the start of the United Nations’ Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which runs through 2030, a tremendous amount of money and effort will be put into re-growing forests, making over-exploited farmland productive, and reviving damaged marine environments. This is a good, and vital, initiative. Without quick action to clean up the fallout of humanity’s scorched-earth economic systems, goals on hunger, biodiversity and climate…

Photo credit: E. Hermanowicz/CIAT