[2022] Side Event at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Leaders Forum

Ecosystem Restoration for a Sustainable Future: Principles, Tools and Acceleration Needs

Background

The nature is facing an unprecedented threat as a result of human activities. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), three-quarters of the land-based environment and about 66% of the marine environment have been significantly altered by human activities. One million of the world’s estimated 8 million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction

Ecosystem services are critical to everyone’s well-being and livelihoods. About 40 percent of the global population are adversely affected by land degradation . Restoration of degraded land and ocean ecosystem is essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Actions that prevent, halt and reverse degradation can deliver one-third of the mitigation that is needed by 2030 to keep global temperatures below 2°C. Ecosystem supports all life on earth including people. Protection and revival of ecosystem can help not only to combat climate change, but also to end poverty and prevent the collapse of biodiversity.

Acknowledging the need for urgent global action, the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) following a proposal for action by over 70 countries from all latitudes. In line with this movement, the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) has been promoting the Decade and the critical role of ecosystem restoration in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic through various activities including organizing a side event that focused on accelerating ecosystem restoration, climate action and sustainable development through green deals at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

UNOSD continues this momentum by organizing this side-event at the IUCN Leaders Forum Jeju 2022 in partnership with the National Institute of Ecology (NIE) of the Republic of Korea. NIE leads the ecological research with special emphases on climate change and biodiversity conservation and supports national policies to achieve a sustainable balance between the conservation of the natural environment and people’s good quality of life.

The event will incorporate presentations and interventions from experts on principles, tools and acceleration needs for ecosystem restoration. The event is perfectly in line with the main themes of the IUCN Leaders Forum in terms of fostering nature-positive economies and societies.

Date/Formality

The Side Event at the IUCN Leader Forum titled, 'Ecosystem Restoration for a Sustainable Future: Principles, Tools and Acceleration Needs' will be held in-Person at the Hall 201, International Convention Center (ICC) in Jeju, Republic of Korea on 14 October 2022 from 9:30am to 11:00am. The side event will be held in-person to ensure highest level of interaction between speakers and audience.

Official Documents

Concept note (updated as of 17 October 2022)

Speaker bio (updated as of 17 October 2022)

Presentation files and video message

• Mr. Benjamin Singer, Senior Forest and Land use specialist _GCF
• Mr. Junghyun Kim, Partnership specialist _FAO
• Dr. Jeongeun Lim, Team head _NIE
• Mr. Doug Watkins, Chief executive _EAAFP
• Mr. Jae Lee, youth delegation_6th SDGs Youth Summer Camp
• Ms.Noemie Benfella, youth delegation_6th SDGs Youth Summer Camp
• Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General_Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (video message)

Objectives

The objectives of the side event will include but are not limited to the following:

• Enhance awareness of the status of ecosystem, importance of ecosystem services and its restoration;
• Introduce the principles of ecosystem restoration and various tools for monitoring, protecting and restoring ecosystems;
• Discuss actions needed to accelerate successful scaling up of ecosystem restoration; and
• Strengthen and build capacity of participants in designing and implementing ecosystem restoration projects and policies

Participants

The side event will gather country representatives, policy makers, and experts from national and sub-national institutions and business sector, youth and other stakeholders concerned with ecosystem restoration.

Agenda

Opening and Welcome Remarks 

Speakers:  

• Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head of Office, UNOSD
• Dr. Eun Jin Park, Chief Researcher, National Institute of Ecology of Korea

Video Message 

• Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 

Presentations, Interventions, and Moderated Discussion

Moderator: Ms. Yujeong Kim, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD

• Mr. Benjamin Singer, Senior Forest and Land Use Specialist, GCF
• Mr. Junghyun Kim, Partnership Specialist, FAO Partnership and Liaison Office
• Dr. Jeongeun Lim, Team Head, National Institute of Ecology of Korea
• Mr. Doug Watkins, Chief Executive, East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership
• Ms. Noemie Benfella, 6th SDGs Youth Summer Camp Participant
• Mr. Jae Lee, 6th SDGs Youth Summer Camp Participant

Organizers

This event will be organized by UNOSD in partnership with the National Institute of Ecology (NIE) of the Republic of Korea.