UPSC Articles
‘Ecosystem Restoration for people, nature and climate’ report by UNEP
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Conservation; Climate change
In news
- ‘Ecosystem Restoration for people, nature and climate’ report was recently published by the United Nations environment programme (UNEP).
- The report has been published in Association with Food and Agriculture Organisation for UN Decade on ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.
- Ecosystem restoration means assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact.
Key findings of the report
- We are using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our current way of life and the ecosystem is unable to keep up with our demands.
- Every year ecosystem services worth more than 10% of our global economic output are lost.
- Around 1/3rd of the world’s farmland is degraded.
- About 87% of Inland wetlands worldwide have disappeared since 1700.
- 1/3rd of commercial fish species are over-exploited.
- Degradation is already affecting the well-being of 40% of the world’s population.
- Countries need to deliver on their existing commitments to restore 1 billion hectares of degraded land and make similar commitments for Marine and coastal areas.
- Restoration is essential for keeping Global temperature is below 2° Celsius
Recommendations
- Restoration and avoiding degradation.
- Large scale investments in dryland agriculture
- Mangrove protection
- Water management
