A Global Assessment of Reported Restoration Implementation, Gaps and Pathways Forward

Based on officially reported data submitted through national and international frameworks, the analysis identifies approximately 124.3 million hectares of land globally under restoration, rehabilitation, or improved management. This figure represents a conservative and harmonised baseline, derived from validated national reporting sources and subject to strict inclusion and non-overlap criteria. It should be interpreted as a lower-bound estimate of global restoration progress.

The analysis reveals significant variation across reporting frameworks. Land Degradation Neutrality reporting under the UNCCD accounts for the largest share of documented achievements, reflecting its structured monitoring architecture and outcome-oriented indicators. Contributions from Nationally Determined Contributions under the UNFCCC and Bonn Challenge reporting are substantial but less consistently quantified. In contrast, biodiversity reporting under the Convention on Biological Diversity remains comparatively limited in area-based reporting due to methodological and institutional constraints.

Regionally, restoration implementation is concentrated in a limited number of geographies, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for the largest share of reported achievements. Across all regions, however, the proportion of achieved restoration relative to pledged commitments remains low, indicating a substantial implementation gap.

To contextualise these findings, the report situates official achievements within a broader “restoration implementation continuum.” Institutionally aggregated datasets and platform-based systems indicate substantially higher levels of reported activity, but these are not directly comparable due to differences in definitions, validation processes, and reporting standards. This divergence highlights a systemic disconnect between reported activity and verified achievement.

The analysis identifies four key constraints limiting the translation of commitments into measurable outcomes: fragmented reporting systems, lack of standardised methodologies, weak integration between project-level platforms and national reporting, and limited monitoring capacity. Addressing these constraints will require strengthened national monitoring systems, improved data harmonisation, clearer definitional alignment, and enhanced integration across reporting frameworks.

The Global Restoration Achievements Database is designed as an operational tool to support this transition. Providing a transparent and standardised evidence base enables governments, researchers, and international organisations to assess progress, identify gaps, and prioritise action. It contributes directly to tracking global targets under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and related reporting processes under the UNCCD and UNFCCC.