UN says land restoration needs $355 billion a year, $278 billion gap
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The UN says meeting global land restoration commitments by 2030 requires $355 billion annually, while current investment is about $77 billion, leaving a $278 billion yearly gap. The figures were released as the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The conference launched a $1.2 billion pastureland initiative and a $1.3 billion financing portfolio for 23 countries.
Key Facts
- The UN estimates annual investment in land restoration at $77 billion against a required $355 billion, a gap of $278 billion.
- Private financing accounts for about 6 percent of global investment in land restoration.
- The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- A flagship pastureland initiative launched at the conference brings together 45 projects worth $1.2 billion.
- Governments, development banks, foundations and companies announced a $1.3 billion financing portfolio for 23 countries on five continents.
Funding Gap
The UN reports that $355 billion is needed annually to meet global land restoration commitments by 2030. Current investment stands at about $77 billion per year, leaving an annual shortfall of $278 billion. Private financing contributes only about 6 percent of global investment in land restoration. The figures were presented at the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Ulaanbaatar.
Conference Initiatives
The conference launched a flagship pastureland initiative uniting 45 projects with a total value of $1.2 billion. This is the largest single initiative in the convention's history to mobilize resources for pasturelands. Governments, development banks, foundations and companies announced a $1.3 billion financing portfolio for 23 countries on five continents. Of that amount, $644.5 million is new financing. The conference also launched the first global financial mechanism designed to attract investment in drought resilience, aiming to mobilize up to $400 million in public and private capital.
Land Degradation
Up to 40 percent of land globally is degraded, and countries have committed to restore more than one billion hectares by 2030. In Central Asia, more than 80 million hectares are degraded — over a quarter of the region's territory — affecting 24 million people. All five Central Asian countries have set land degradation neutrality targets, and half of those commitments have already been met. More than 70 countries now have national drought plans, compared with only three in 2013. The next Conference of the Parties will take place in Egypt in 2028.
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UN says land restoration needs $355 billion a year, $278 billion gap
