SER's 2024 Restoration Policy Update

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) continues to play a key role in advancing global restoration efforts. SER contributed to key resources, including leading development of the Resource Guide for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) Target 2, release of the UN Decade Standards of Practice, and the technical development and launch of the Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS). SER is also a lead technical partner for SCOR in the development and release of NatReCo, the first insurance product that will ensure ecological restoration work on the ground. Through its Europe Chapter, SER also supported  the EU Nature Restoration Law, a landmark legislation that set binding restoration targets for EU countries. Through these and other activities, SER is bringing the incredible technical knowledge and experience of our 5,000+ strong global membership to innovative and cutting edge efforts to incentivize, finance, and implement high quality restoration worldwide .

Restoration Day at COP 16

The Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 summit in Cali, Colombia, held from 21 October to 1 November, reiterated the imperative work to not just halt, but reverse biodiversity loss through implementation of the KM-GBF, including Target 2, the restoration target. Restoration Day, on 30 October, brought together experts from various fields—including senior ministers and policymakers, practitioners, scientists, investors, Indigenous leaders, and faith groups— to exchange insights, share resources, and present strategies to scale restoration efforts. Restoration Day focused on a suite of different initiatives to support Target 2, which aims for 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine ecosystems to be under effective restoration by 2030 .

SER International Policy Lead, George Gann, participated in the panel alongside speakers from the European Commission (EC), FAO, the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the International Land Coalition. A key message came from Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, who underscored the vital role of restoration in unifying the three Rio Conventions: UNFCCC, UNCBD and the UNCCD which address climate change, biodiversity and land degradation, respectively. A summary of the session, speakers and themes from Restoration Day can be found here.

Launch event and presentation of the Target 2 Guide at COP16. From left to right Julian Fox (FAO), Jamal Annagylyjova (UN Convention on Biological Diversity), David Garcia (International Land Coalition, ILC),  George Gann (Society for Ecological Restoration, SER), Fabiola Zerbini (Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change), Florian Claeys (European Commission, DG ENV), Yelena Finegold (FAO), Bethanie Walder (Society for Ecological Restoration, SER).

SER Executive Director Bethanie Walder moderated a panel on Guidance and Tools to build capacity for restoration. SER International Policy Lead George Gann, lead author of the new Resource Guide for Target 2, presented the guide during this panel. He was joined by speakers from the European Commission (EC), FAO, the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the International Land Coalition to discuss not only the guide, but additional resources, new regulations, and exemplary case studies of national, regional, and indigenous efforts to elevate restoration.

Resource Guide for Implementation of Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

During the past year, SER has partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and CIFOR-ICRAF to support countries in delivering Target 2, specifically by developing Delivering Restoration Outcomes for Biodiversity and Human Well-Being: The resource guide for Target 2 of the KM-GBF. Formally launched during Restoration Day, this guide offers practical advice, tools and resources for countries as they plan, implement, and assess restoration projects at all scales. It also provides guidance for reporting on national commitments.

The guide explains the key elements of Target 2, including defining effective restoration as “standards-based restoration underpinned by agreed principles that results in appropriately balanced sustainable net gain that benefits and enhances biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and human well-being.” This definition recognizes the importance of applying standards to restoration practice globally as a mechanism for improving outcomes from restoration investments. Building from the guide and this successful collaboration, SER will continue working with CBD, FAO, and CIFOR-ICRAF to support country-oriented capacity building efforts to implement Target 2.

The guide drew on key content from SER’s previous work, including the SER International Principles and Standards on Ecosystem Restoration. It also introduced an updated graphical depiction of the SER Restorative Continuum, incorporating all three key ecosystems into the new design .

Standards of Practice to Inform the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Given the importance of standards to the definition of effective restoration, restoration standards were on the agenda in other sessions as well during COP16. At the IUCN Pavilion, two SER past Chairs, Jim Hallet and Cara Nelson (Cara also co-chairs the Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management), as well as George Gann, participated in a session to present an overview of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Standards of Practice to guide ecosystem restoration (SOPs) along with case studies of how these SOPs are being applied to existing restoration projects around the world.

The UN Decade SOPs were co-developed by IUCN, SER, and FAO, with dozens of other organizations, and they were formally released in early 2024. These SOPs support restoration initiatives, community involvement, and Indigenous engagement for all ecosystem restoration, across the entire restorative continuum. This session also discussed continued efforts to increase the utility and applicability and uptake of the SOPs globally.

Jim Hallet, past SER Chair, presenting the on the UN Decade Standards of Practice at COP16.

The Global Biodiversity Standard

SER was proud to be affiliated with yet another important event at COP16. October 25 marked the official launch of the Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS), the most scientifically rigorous framework for measuring the impacts of tree planting, habitat restoration, and agroforestry on biodiversity. SER is a key partner in TGBS, with George Gann and SER Policy and Practice Specialist Amarizni Mosyaftiani providing essential scientific and practical expertise in developing TGBS methods and training resources, including the manual, which provides best practice methodology for evaluating and certifying restoration projects. Key components of TGBS are built directly from the SER Standards, including, for example the ecological recovery wheel, the social benefits wheel, and the associated Five-star System for assessing the attributes and sub-attributes on the wheels. TGBS is both critically important and novel in the project certification space because it focuses on certifying the biodiversity outcomes of the projects. And it does this by building local capacity and biodiversity hubs, especially in partnership with botanic gardens across the world. The first three certified projects were announced during the COP and there was sustained interest in the program far beyond the launch event .

You can hear more about TGBS on Botanic Gardens Conservation International’s (BGCI) podcast, The Understory. And read about it in Business Green .

David Bartholomew, Global Biodiversity Standard Project Manager at BGCI being interviewed at the COP16.

EU Nature Restoration Law

Passed in June 2024, the EU’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL) sets binding targets for EU countries to restore at least 20% of EU land and seas by 2030. SER Europe (SER-E) formed a legal working group to highlight the law’s significance amid months of intense negotiations ahead of the final vote. SER views the NRL as a global paradigm shift for restoration from a legal or regulatory perspective. While nearly all current restoration regulations are triggered by new degradation, the NRL obligates restoration of past degradation that was never remediated. EU countries must now submit National Restoration Plans to the European Commission within two years, including details of how they will monitor and report on progress towards their restoration targets. Functionally, the NRL decouples restoration requirements and investment from new degradation, creating increased opportunity for restoration to result in net gain for people and nature. While this exact model may not be replicable everywhere, it sets the stage for a new global discussion on proactive approaches to restoration. SER is pleased to report that we will be undertaking a project in 2025 with lawyers and regulators from across the world to explore how this and other proactive regulatory approaches can be modeled and innovated globally to incentivize and prioritize effective ecological and ecosystem restoration .

SCOR’s ReStore: The first insurance product for ecological restoration

In May 2024, SCOR, one of the world’s leading reinsurers launched a novel product to insure ecological restoration projects. The first product of its kind, the Nature Restoration & Conservation Insurance Initiative, NatReCo, aims to reduce risk for financial investment in restoration. If an insured project experiences a covered event, and that event negatively impacts the restoration works (e.g. a flood wipes out the trees that were planted), then the insurance would provide the funding to re-implement the work. While there have been several one-time restoration insurance policies issued, no other insurance company currently offers any product like this. NatReCo was developed with key advisory input from senior SER leadership, including both Bethanie Walder and George Gann. The product is built on the SER Standards, recognizing that applying standards to restoration reduces risk and increases the likelihood of success. Therefore, to be able to buy a policy through NatReCo, projects will have to demonstrably follow the standards. As the product ramps up (it is still in the testing phase, but it is available), Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioners (CERPs) will be prioritized for plan reviews and as experts to assist claims adjusters reviewing claims. Given the limited funding available for restoration, and the massive need, initiatives like this are imperative for implementing restoration at scale and SER is pleased to be part of this innovative product development and delivery. NatReCo was featured during side events in conjunction with CBD COP16.

SER at COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Bethanie Walder will also be attending the UNCCD COP in Riyadh in early December. There SER will participate in numerous activities, similar to some of the activities at the CBD COP, including participating in sessions that will promote the UN Decade SOPs and the Target 2 Guide to the UNCCD delegates. The expected outcomes are very similar to the CBD COP, reiterating the thematic connection that restoration creates between the different conventions. The UNCCD is expected to debate, and ideally to pass their own restoration targets at this COP. SER looks forward to supporting these efforts by sharing best available knowledge about the opportunities, challenges, and benefits of ecological restoration to support both human well-being and nature .

SER at the UNCCD COP16:

• 4 December: From Soils to the Arabian Leopard – A Manifesto for Comprehensive Regeneration

• 6 December: UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Your ideas for the next 5 years!

• 6 December: Drought Resilience through an Integrated Landscape Restoration approach

• 7 December: Scaling Up Land Restoration - Bridging large-scale and grassroots efforts for sustainable and long term impact

• 10 December: Guidance, resources, and case studies to support delivery of global restoration goals