NEWS – United Nations named seven initiatives from across Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia as the intergovernmental organisation’s World Restoration Flagships

WHAT IS WORLD RESTORATION FLAGSHIPS

• Initiative of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization
• Aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean
• Makes the initiatives eligible for technical and financial support from UN

WHICH ARE THE INITATIVES

• The Restoring Mediterranean Forests Initiative
  • Countries of Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye
  • Novel approach said to have protected and restored natural habitats and vulnerable ecosystems
• The Living Indus initiative 
  • In Pakistan
  • After devastating 2022 climate change-induced floods.
  • Launched at 27th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm el-Sheikh
  • Designates the Indus River as a living entity with rights — a measure taken to protect rivers elsewhere as well.
• Acción Andina social movement – by Peruvian conservation non-profit ECOAN aims to protect and restore a forest area of one million hectares.
• Sri Lanka Mangrove Regeneration initiative: It is a science-driven programme co-led by local communities. It focuses on the restoration of natural balance in the ecosystem
• The Terai Arc Landscape initiative: It isaimed to restore the forests of critical corridors of the Terai Arc Landscape in collaboration with local communities working as citizen scientists, community-based anti-poaching units, forest guards, among others
• Regreening Africa’s agriculture: It is expected to benefit over 6,00,000 households.
• Growing forests in Africa’s drylands initiative: Itaims to expand from 41,000 restored hectares today to 229,000 hectares by 2030.