UNU-CRIS Contribution to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and Agriculture and Food Security
The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) is a global rallying call to prevent, halt, and reverse ecosystem degradation worldwide, addressing critical challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security. Led by UNEP and FAO, the Decade aims to restore over 1 billion hectares of degraded land—to improve ecosystem services, enhance livelihoods, and contribute significantly to climate change mitigation.
UNU-CRIS actively contributes to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration through research, policy engagement, and knowledge exchange that links ecosystem restoration with agricultural sustainability, water management, and food security.
In this dialogue series, Dr Nidhi Nagabhatla will highlight how collaborative approaches between countries and regions can restore degraded farmlands, protect watersheds, and build resilient food systems. She will emphasize how bridging academic research with policy practice creates evidence for scaling ecosystem restoration from local initiatives to regional transformation, supporting global restoration targets while strengthening agricultural sustainability across diverse geographical contexts.
The Nature, Climate, and Health cluster at UNU CRIS examines the interconnections between water, energy, and food systems, recognizing that ecosystem restoration in agricultural settings enhances water use efficiency, soil health, and food production. The cluster also supports the Home - GlobalSeaweed-PROTECT project that relates to this topic via the coastal ecosystems.
UNU-CRIS demonstrates its commitment to advancing the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration while addressing urgent challenges in agriculture, food security, water management, and climate action.
