Executive summary

With the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) in 2022, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted its global Biodiversity Plan for Life on Earth. Central to that plan, and to creating a world where people live in harmony with nature, is ecosystem restoration, Target 2 of the KM-GBF.

Ecosystem restoration is an inherently participatory act that creates or helps recreate a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship between people and nature. Ecosystem restoration can be implemented at every scale, from hyper-local smallholder to landscape or seascape scale trans-national projects and programmes. Ecosystem restoration inspires individuals and institutions alike, and especially when planned and implemented in combination with sustainable use and conservation, it has the potential to deliver a balanced net gain for people and nature.

The promise of ecosystem restoration is profound, and our global challenge is to meet that promise. This resource guide provides background information, recommendations and guidance to support CBD Parties and partners to effectively apply the still limited, but expanding financial and human resources to achieve the greatest potential impact from restoration investments.

A broad suite of multilateral environmental agreements and initiatives already promote, include or incentivize ecosystem restoration, including the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. As such, this guide builds on a very solid foundation of existing work and reminds Parties that their implementation of Target 2 will also likely build on an equally solid foundation of work they have already undertaken in the context of other agreements and initiatives. Target 2 elevates and coalesces this work into a new global objective for restoration, for life on Earth.

The guide explores and explains the intent and practicalities of Target 2. It starts by setting this target into the global context of other global initiatives and national commitments. It provides a detailed look into the key components and intended outcomes, and how Parties can address these in their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). It explores and compiles a broad suite of globally relevant resources to support countries as they implement the target across terrestrial, inland water and coastal and marine ecosystems, as well as production landscapes. The guide builds on the CBD’s Short-Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration (STAPER).

The guide is intended to be a living document and is part of a series of capacity building and country support resources that CBD, FAO and several other global partners are developing to assist Parties, from e-learning courses to country or regional workshops to support target setting, restoration planning and implementation. These resources will be regularly updated and expanded during the remainder of the decade. We invite you to use this guide to support your efforts to achieve Target 2, and to engage with the CBD Secretariat about additional resources and tools still needed to further advance your country’s work to create balanced net gain for people and nature through ecosystem restoration.