Global Ecosystem Restoration and Carbon Neutrality Programme

Currently, 25% of global terrestrial ecosystems are degraded, expected to rise by 75% by 2050, threatening 3.2 billion people worldwide. The United Nations launched “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” to promote restoration efforts from 2021-2030. Additionally, achieving carbon neutrality has become an international consensus to combat climate change and protect the human living environment. However, there is a lack of existing international scientific programs for ecological restoration and carbon neutrality, coupled with insufficient long-term observations and experimental data, particularly in developing countries facing ecosystem degradation and management challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate global efforts and establish monitoring and assessment systems for global ecological restoration and carbon neutralization. In this talk, we will introduce the Global Ecosystem Restoration and Carbon Neutrality (Global-ERCaN) program, which aims to promote global ecosystem restoration and carbon neutrality through monitoring and assessing the restoration process, exploring changes in carbon sinks and related processes, and summarizing sustainable ecosystem management models. Global-ERCaN plans to establish international cooperation for 1) sharing carbon neutral research methods and technologies, 2) assessing the role of ecological restoration in carbon neutrality, 3) proposing management and policy options for sustainable development of degraded ecosystems, ultimately accelerating carbon neutrality goals.