Ecosystem restoration has become a priority issue and is firmly on global environmental agendas: Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is to restore 30% of all degraded ecosystems by 2030, and 2021-2030 has been designated as the UN Decade on Ecological Restoration. Ecological restoration at large scale is seen as essential to avert the linked biodiversity and climate crises.

Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI) partners are already deeply engaged in restoration work, with much to contribute to support delivery of the urgent action that is needed to achieve the GBF target. Researchers in CCI’s conservation organisations, in Conservation Research Institute (CRI) and the University of Cambridge are at the forefront of many areas of research critical to accelerating and delivering the restoration agenda. Restoring land and seascapes for life is already Priority Area 2 in the CCI Strategy to 2030. CCI partners hold some of the most significant global databases on biodiversity, CCI manages the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, the University of Cambridge and CRI are leading the Centre for Landscape Regeneration in the UK and many CCI partners are working on flagship restoration initiatives worldwide, such as the award-winning World Restoration Flagship Altyn Dala in Kazakhstan, Gola Rainforest in Sierra Leone, and Harapan in Indonesia.