The Restoration Initiative. 2020 year in review

"The Restoration Initiative: 2020 year in review" presents an overview of progress and stories from the second year implementation of The Restoration Initiative (TRI) programme. With support from the Global Environment Facility, this pathbreaking programme led by IUCN in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is supporting ten Asian and African countries in achieving shared restoration goals. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present unique challenges, TRI partners were able to make progress on many fronts in 2020. Program-supported 2020 work includes an online course on forest landscape restoration (FLR) presented through partnership with Yale University, publication of a new tool assessing threats to biodiversity to better inform restoration and conservation measures, and a new mentorship programme supporting development of restoration-based business and investment proposals. These achievements, as well as stories from the front lines of restoration, are described within. Launched in 2019, The Restoration Initiative works to overcome existing barriers to restoration and to restore degraded landscapes, in support of the Bonn Challenge and to safeguard the well-being of people and nature.