The role of ecosystem restoration for a world in chaos—barriers and opportunities to optimize human wellbeing

Abstract

There is an urgent need to globally advance human wellbeing and ecosystem restoration is required to achieve international targets. However, the relationship between ecosystem services and wellbeing is frequently assumed to be simple and positive, but this is not the case. This paper argues that a poor understanding of how and when ecosystem restoration can improve wellbeing causes a disconnect between the practice and the benefits it promises to provide. Problematic issues with carbon credits are discussed and a case is made against promoting ecosystem restoration initiatives based on carbon storage. Opportunities for ecosystem restoration to optimize gains in wellbeing are proposed, including the identification of sites where restoration has the greatest impact and the transition from carbon credit systems into ecosystem service credit systems. Future research directions are recommended, as are the production of international standards for ecosystem restoration in natural hazard recovery and risk mitigation.