The Global Biodiversity Framework’s ecosystem restoration target requires more clarity and careful legal interpretation
GBF Target 2 aims to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, but unclear terms like “degraded,” “restoration,” and “effective” may lead to inconsistent national implementation. Clear standards, baselines, and metrics are needed to ensure comparable progress and meaningful, biodiversity-focused restoration outcomes globally.
Subject Tags
- Biodiversity
- Habitat restoration
- Policy
Abstract
Target 2 of the GBF represents an important commitment towards restoration, but every word in the target text is capable of legal and ecological interpretation that could markedly affect the success of on-the-ground initiatives. Although countries should have discretion regarding how and where to implement restoration on the basis of their individual circumstances, it is important that thought is given to using standardized terminology and metrics that can enable genuine comparison across jurisdictions to progress this global target — both globally through the COP process and at the national level.
Citation
Bell-James, J., Foster, R., Shumway, N., Lovelock, C.E., Villarreal-Rosas, J., Brown, C.J., Andradi-Brown, D.A., Saunders, M.I., Waltham, N.J. and Fitzsimons, J.A., 2024. The Global Biodiversity Framework’s ecosystem restoration target requires more clarity and careful legal interpretation. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 8(5), pp.840-841. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02389-6
TNC Authors
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James Fitzsimons
Senior Advisor, Global Protection Strategies
The Nature Conservancy
Email: jfitzsimons@tnc.org