Restoring Landscapes in South Africa (ReLISA): Nature-based solutions for climate, biodiversity and people

Large areas of the most important biomes in South Africa are severely degraded due to overexploitation and climate change. The project addresses this landscape-wide degradation and makes the economic case for restoration. By creating the conditions for a just transition of the land-use sector and mobilising investment at scale, the project seeks to restore degraded priority areas in key biomes (grasslands, savannas, thicket), while recognising the socio-cultural and economic context. On-the-ground implementation in close consultation with various stakeholders will contribute effectively to adapt to the impacts of climate change, address biodiversity loss, while improving livelihoods of rural communities and commercial farmers. Targeted capacity development and creating bankable investment opportunities for the private sector will support the upscaling of South Africa’s restoration efforts, climate objectives, green economy and other environmental targets under the Rio conventions and the UN Decade 2021-2030.

Project data

Countries: South Africa
IKI funding: 14,547,493.00 €
Included preparation phase: 441,867.00 €
Duration: 11/2024 till 10/2029
Status: open
Implementing organisation: United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) - Kenya
Political Partner: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) - South Africa

Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME)

South African National Biodiversity Institute
Implementing Partner: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - South Africa

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Online: https://www.relisa.org/

Skip to Project data

State of implementation/results

Partnerships with landowners, communities, researchers, government representatives and other stakeholders continue to be established in the priority landscapes to advance restoration across South Africa.
Biophysical assessments for restoration in the target biomes were advanced, including progress on knowledge-gap analyses, field visits and assessments, pre-feasibility studies, stakeholder mapping and collaboration with research partners to help identify feasible restoration sites and strengthen the evidence base for restoration impacts on carbon, biodiversity, hydrology and livelihoods to attract private sector investment.
Based on these, eight priority landscapes for the coming year have been selected, while three sites have been “deprioritised” for now.
Work continues towards strengthening South Africa’s Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system and integrating restoration data into national climate reporting. A draft MRV framework for restoration and carbon outcomes was developed and validated through an MRV workshop with government stakeholders.
On-the-ground restoration advanced through protected area expansion and restoration activities, alien invasive plant clearing, and water fund initiatives in priority landscapes such as the Northern Drakensberg, Amathole, Waterberg, Magaliesberg and Soutpansberg.
Implementing partners completed a pre-feasibility study in the Northern Drakensberg, now progressing toward full feasibility in 2026, as part of the work towards stewardship approvals and biosphere reserve establishment.
Joint field missions with research partners have been conducted to address key knowledge gaps on spekboom restoration, grazing management and ecosystem impacts.
Contracts are in the final stages of being set up with three South African universities to strengthen the scientific basis ahead of restoration investments.
Engagement in key policy processes has continued, positioning ReLISA as a key contributor to the revision and updating of national goals, targets and aspirations.
ReLISA was officially launched on the margins of the 3rd G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting in Cape Town in October 2025.
Project governance and coordination were strengthened through the convening of the first Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting in Pretoria on 9 February 2026, with the PSC Terms of Reference (ToRs) signed in March 2026 by the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Multi-stakeholder coordination and knowledge exchange were strengthened through technical meetings; field missions; and collaboration across government, research institutions and NGOs to support the scaling of ecosystem restoration models for South Africa’s thicket, grassland and savanna biomes.
In December 2025, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration awarded “Thicket Restoration in South Africa” as a UN World Restoration Flagship, a movement that ReLISA is spearheading : www.relisa.org/…