How to align restoration with climate policy

From Barren to Bountiful: Transforming Wastelands into Agroforests for Soil Revival and Climate Resilience!! The global degradation of arable land has reached alarming proportions. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) over 40% of the world’s land is already degraded, costing the global economy $15 trillion annually in lost ecosystem services. Meanwhile, soil erosion outpaces formation by 10 to 100 times in different regions, threatening food security and biodiversity. In this critical juncture, agroforestry—integrating trees with crops and livestock—emerges as a scalable solution to rehabilitate wastelands, sequester carbon, and restore ecological balance. Agroforestry systems are not a novel concept but a scientifically validated strategy. Research by the World Agroforestry Centre reveals that agroforests can sequester 2–6 tons of CO2 per hectare annually while boosting crop yields by 50–100% through improved soil fertility and microclimate regulation. For instance, in Niger, farmers regenerated 5 million hectares of degraded land using farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR), increasing crop yields and household incomes by 30%. Similarly, India’s National Wasteland Development Board has restored millions of hectares of degraded land since 1985 through afforestation programs, enhancing water retention and biodiversity. The urgency is clear: degraded lands are not just unproductive—they exacerbate climate change, displace communities, and strain resources. Converting these areas into agroforests can reverse soil erosion, enhance carbon sinks, and create green jobs. However, scaling this requires systemic action. Governments must incentivize farmers with subsidies for tree planting and carbon credits. Corporations can align ESG goals with land restoration projects, while financial institutions should fund agroforestry startups. Action Point for the stakeholders: - Advocate for agroforestry policies. - Collaborate with platforms like Bonn Challenge (aiming to restore 350 million hectares by 2030) to support land restoration. - Invest in or support ventures leveraging agroforestry for climate tech and sustainable agriculture. The time to act is now. By transforming wastelands into thriving agroforests, we secure soil health, mitigate climate risks, and build resilient economies. Let’s turn degradation into regeneration—one hectare at a time.

Why Preserving Historic Fabric is a Climate Strategy My name is Jeremy Edwards. I am leading the preservation work on the Woolworth Building, and each day on site I see how every material in a historic structure represents energy that has already been spent. In the Woolworth, this includes not only its famous terra cotta but also a remarkable range of structural and decorative materials. 1. Structural steel (23,000 tons) formed the skeleton that carried walls, floors, and wind loads. 2. Reinforced concrete and pneumatic caissons anchored the building deep into bedrock. 3. Cement (70,000 barrels of Atlantic Portland) bound the structure together with strength and durability. 4. Brick (17 million common bricks) and limestone (1,400 tons) created walls and mass. 5. Granite from Rockport polished the base, while sandstone and stone aggregate reinforced foundations. 6. Terra cotta (7,500 tons) gave the tower its distinctive surface and ornament. 7. Copper sheathed spires and rooflines. 8. Hollow tile (28,000 tons) fireproofed floors, partitions, and arches. 9. Glass mosaics and leaded glass, American and imported marbles, plasterwork, stone carvings, ornamental iron gilded in gold, and even timber cribbing all contributed to the structure and its finish. Each of these materials carries embodied carbon, the energy consumed in quarrying, smelting, firing, cutting, transporting, and assembling. Preserving them protects both their cultural value and the carbon already invested in their making. When restoration is done thoughtfully, the climate benefit becomes clear. Repairing a terra cotta block avoids the energy cost of firing a replacement. Retaining marble wainscoting or plaster ceilings prevents new quarrying and manufacturing. Extending the life of copper roofing defers the emissions from mining and refining new metal. At the Woolworth Building, these decisions play out daily. Thousands of units are stabilized, patched, or re-glazed rather than discarded. Every preserved stone, brick, or tile represents avoided emissions. The restoration of a landmark is also the mitigation of carbon impact. This approach creates a synergy between climate, architecture, and people. By sustaining the original materials, we not only protect heritage but also adapt the building responsibly to new environmental realities. Preservation, once thought of as cultural duty, is proving to be a climate strategy through the restoration of the Woolworth Building. The Woolworth Building demonstrates that the most sustainable material is often the one already in place and that restoring our historic buildings is one of the clearest ways to align history with climate adaptation. #architecture #historicpreservation #restoration #woolworthbuilding #embodiedcarbon #climateadaptation #lowcarbon #buildingmaterials The American Institute of Architects (AIA) The New York Times Dezeen Architects’ Journal The Architectural Review The Wall Street Journal Bloomberg TIME

📣 the EU’s Nature Restoration Law enters into force today! Does it matter? 🤔     You might remember my ‘Habemus NRL” excitement. Well, as of today the #NRL enters into force and is becoming legally binding throughout the EU. This matters bc it is good for halting #biodiversity , reaching our #climate neutrality goals, mitigate against #disasters and enhance #food #security .   It also shows that for the EU implementing the Global Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework is a real commitment and not just a lofty political ambition. We are walking the talk and have submitted the EU“s aligned targets to the #CBD Secretariate.   So what does it mean concretely? Member States will put up national restoration plans/measures in at least 20 % of the EU's land  areas and 20 % of its sea areas by 2030.  And by 2050, such measures should be in place for all ecosystems that need restoration. Yep, the #NRL addresses all types of ecosystems ranging from urban areas (eg for putting up green spaces or maintain trees in cities that can act against the formation of heat island and better absorb heavy rains), to freeing obsolete barriers in rivers to mitigate against flood risks (by restoring at least 25,000 km of rivers into free-flowing rivers), to agricultural land but also costal areas.   But the #NRL is certainly not a one size fits all approach. We are lucky to enjoy in Europe many diverse and beautiful landscapes. And therefore the #NRL foresees different  restoration targets for different ecosystems and takes into account the #national #specificities ( eg the densely populated Netherlands has v different restoration challenges than Finland). Hence each Member State will  develop its  own national restoration plan, setting out and prioritising national  restoration needs with matching measures  to achieve the targets of the law. Always adapted to the national context & taking into account the diversity of the national regions.   And of course no ecosystem restoration can happen in isolation but only in synergy with other national measures for instance on renewable energy development, land degradation, disaster prevention or fisheries and forestry measures. Restoration is costly, yes. But doing nothing and let our nature decline or disappear will be so much more costly for our economy & health - to name two most obvious impacts . Various EU funds can already today be tapped (common agricultural policy funds, regional funds, the LIFE Programme, Horizon Europe (the EU research fund) and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund). But we shall have to look for private funding too, reason why we are looking at piloting #BiodiversityCredits . On the latter I hope to be able to say more when I am at the #COP16 in Cali. Interested in even mre details about what the #NRL means ? Then 👀👇:  https://lnkd.in/erzR8z6U #ForOurPlanet

🌍 Poor planning is threatening climate resiliency worldwide. Fewer than 1-in-6 nations have sufficient alignment between their adaptation plans and their decarbonization goals. Here's why that's a big problem... In the fight against climate change, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the bridges between local resilience efforts and global goals. 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬: 1️⃣ Diminished Impact: When strategies (NAPs) and climate goals (NDCs) connect, nations get better outcomes. Without alignment? Gaps, inefficiencies, and weaker results. 2️⃣ Duplication: Misaligned plans waste time and resources. Avoid fragmented efforts. 3️⃣ Funding Blockers: Financial actors need clear, credible plans to allocate capital. Vague or contradictory plans stall capital flows. 4️⃣ Lack of System-Wide Change: Climate change doesn’t respect borders or silos. Poorly integrated plans = less resilient communities. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 According to the UN Environment Programme Adaptation Gap Report 16% of countries fully align their NAPs and NDCs. 68% show partial alignment. 16% don’t align at all. Misalignment risks slowing progress on our Paris Agreement goals. We can’t afford that. What Can Be Done? 1️⃣ Use NAPs as the foundation for NDCs. 2️⃣ Synchronize timelines for plan updates. 3️⃣ Foster collaboration between NAP and NDC teams. 4️⃣ Leverage aligned plans to secure climate finance. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰? The stakes are high—food insecurity, livelihoods, and economic instability are all on the line. With the next NDC updates due in 2025, there’s an opportunity to close the gap and build resilience worldwide. Aligned strategies don’t just meet targets—they save lives. 🌏💡 Let’s act today for a better tomorrow. What strategies do you think could help close this gap? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #ClimateAction #Adaptation #Resilience #ParisAgreement #SustainabilityGoals

🌳Embracing Nature-Based Solutions for Greater Climate Resilience🦬 As the urgency for climate action intensifies, it is important to use all of the solutions available to us, in addition to conventional approaches such as emissions reductions and the use of technological approaches like solar panels and wind turbines. As emphasised in this article its time to deepen our commitment to nature-based solutions—proven, cost-effective strategies that leverage the power of ecosystems to mitigate climate impacts. Nature-based solutions, which include restoring ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and coastlines, also help to address the biodiversity crisis, as well as building community resilience. Reinstating vegetation has co-benefits such as naturally attenuating stormwater and cooling urban heat islands, offering dual benefits: significantly reducing carbon emissions and helping communities adapt to climate change impacts. The data in the article underscore their effectiveness: 🌳Nature-based solutions can provide 37% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement targets. 🌳 Nature restoration can decrease the intensity of climate hazards globally by 26%. However, the full potential of NbS is often underestimated due to fragmented implementation. By adopting a connected, systems-based approach to maximise their impact across ecosystems and communities it is feasible to amplify the benefits. Canada, for instance, has taken significant steps by committing $4 billion over four years to natural infrastructure through its Natural Climate Solutions Fund. By promoting a tried and tested approach and by integrating indigenous and local knowledge, it is feasible to develop holistic management practices that protect and restore natural assets. In turn this will build more resilient, low-carbon communities that thrive in harmony with their environment. #naturebasedsolutions #rewilding #naturerecovery #ecosystemrestoration https://lnkd.in/ezAg3xtD