COFO 28 High-level Event: UN Decade on Afforestation and Reforestation Opening Remarks

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to this important event on the forthcoming UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation – a decade which will provide an opportunity to accelerate efforts to address forest and land degradation and restore the productive capacity of our landscapes. 

Today, 1.56 billion hectares of land are degraded globally, including 460 million hectares of forest land.

At the same time, 645 million people face hunger worldwide.

Land degradation and food insecurity are deeply interconnected, with impacts felt disproportionately in the Global South.

By 2050, agriculture will need to produce substantially more food, while demand for forest products will continue to grow.

We need landscapes that produce more while remaining resilient, biodiverse and capable of providing the ecosystem services we depend on.

This is why restoration is so critical.

As highlighted in The State of the World’s Forests 2026, forest and landscape restoration deliver multiple benefits – from climate-change mitigation and adaptation to biodiversity conservation, food security and socio-economic resilience.

When carefully planned and implemented, afforestation and reforestation are significant options.

Under favourable conditions, every dollar invested in forest and landscape restoration can generate an estimated USD 30 in benefits.

Restoring 1 billion hectares of degraded land could provide USD 1.8 trillion per year in benefits.

FAO has long supported its Members in restoring degraded forests and lands, including through our co-leadership of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030.

And our efforts are delivering results: more than 206 million hectares are now under restoration across 62 countries.

But progress is insufficient.

To meet 2030 targets, we need to restore 470 million hectares.

This means another 264 million hectares under restoration in just four years - around 66 million hectares a year.

But our objective is not simply to maximize the number of hectares.

We need long-term, high-quality restoration that delivers lasting economic, social and environmental benefits, guided by internationally agreed principles and adapted to local contexts.

The UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation will allow us to build on progress achieved and to mobilize further action, engage countries and partners, and strengthen knowledge, evidence and data sharing, and exchange of good practices.

FAO stands ready to support this new UN Decade by continuing to work with Members for a greener and more resilient future for people and the planet.

Thank you.