Support for the design and implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

The decisive goal of this UN Decade was to halt the degradation of ecosystems worldwide and reverse the trend. Successful initiatives such as the Bonn Challenge to promote the restoration of forest landscapes were given new momentum by the decade to achieve the ambitious goals by 2030. The project supported key actors in implementing the UN Decade. Together with cooperation partners of the decade experiences were processed, made available to key actors, and disseminated by using dialogue forums. With the principle of learning from each other and implementing together, the project supported the implementation of suitable policy and planning instruments and new and creative business models. Local and regional capacities for reforestation and sustainable use of forests as well as restoration approaches were strengthened as well.

Project data

IKI funding: 3,000,000.00 €
Duration: 02/2021 till 11/2024
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner: Diverse climate change relevant institutions in the respective partner countries/Diverse klimarelevante Institutionen in den entsprechenden Partnerländern

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State of implementation/results

Project completed.
Implementation of the RESTORATION ACADEMY, a series of workshops for local and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, associations and government institutions working in the field of ecosystem restoration. The idea was to promote them and their work and to involve them more closely in the UN Decade. Since 2022, the Restoration Academy took place in El Salvador, Togo, Rwanda, Nigeria and Tanzania.
- In these workshops, participants received an introduction to the goals and strategies of the UN Decade, shared their own experiences and discussed topics such as monitoring and financing ecosystem restoration. They were also supported in publishing best practices on knowledge platforms and developing new project ideas and applications. After completing the workshop series, participants had the opportunity to join the alumni network.
- Accompanying the Restoration Academy, two studies were conducted that presented various sources of funding and monitoring tools for ecosystem restoration in the form of brief descriptions. These studies were intended in particular for local implementation organizations and can be viewed in the 'Project publications' section at the bottom of the project page.
Support for the Colombian non-governmental organization (NGO) GANSO as part of the FOOTBALL FOR FOREST INITIATIVE. GANSO advised landowners on sustainable land use and forest restoration, tested restoration approaches on 35 hectares and set up a monitoring system. In Colombia, GANSO was cooperating with the NGO "Tiempo de Juego" to use football enthusiasm for the local restoration of ecosystems. While the boys and girls took part in soccer training, they also learned to respect each other and to understand and protect the environment. They and other local residents also supported the planting of trees and the monitoring of restoration efforts while gaining new knowledge. A specially developed app allowed soccer fans around the world to donate a small amount per goal scored by their favourite team to support this work (footballforforests.org/…).
Joining the official network of supporting partners of the UN Decade as well as membership and active participation in the official UN Decade Task Forces on monitoring and best practices.
Organization and implementation of events for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). These included the "Forum Restoring Nature", which was opened by the Federal Environment Minister Lemke in Berlin in June 2024. Other events included a satellite event at the twelfth Petersberg Climate Dialogue and conference sessions at the Global Landscape Forum. Two of these sessions were organized by alumni of the Restoration Academy and focused on the restoration of biological corridors in Central America and the restoration of ecosystems by smallholder women farmers in East Africa. Recordings of the individual events can be accessed under "Related links".

Latest Update:
12/2025