Official launch of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration Flagship in the Mediterranean

On 27 February 2024, the Flagship Restoring Mediterranean Forests was officially launched at the Gala of Hope organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. As one of the six selected initiatives, the Restoring Mediterranean Forests Flagship will represent a substantial endeavor to address the degradation of forest ecosystems of the planet’s most crucial biodiversity hotspots in the region. 

Focusing on proactive forest management, the flagship aims to prevent wildfires and restore degraded habitats. Already, 2 million hectares have been restored since 2017, with plans to restore 8 million by 2030, creating 50 000 green jobs in the process. 

Mr. Chadi Mohanna, the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions Silva Mediterranea and the Director of Rural Development and Natural Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon, participated at the Gala of Hope and received an award to celebrate the launch of the flagship that will prosper the wide spread of restoration activities throughout the Mediterranean.  

The World Restoration Flagship awards have been an important component of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, spearheaded by UNEP and FAO. This initiative seeks to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems globally, with a commitment to restoring over one billion hectares.