UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030—What Chance for Success in Restoring Coastal Ecosystems?

Nathan J Waltham,Marcus Sheaves,Shing Yip Lee,Mario Barletta,Catherine Lovelock,Louw Claassens,Hugh Possingham,Christina Buelow,Colin K-C Wen,Carlos M Duarte,Matthew B Ogburn,Chris Gillies,Jemma Purandare,Michael Elliott,Ivan Nagelkerken,William J Mitsch,Rod M Connolly,Charles Simenstad

doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00071

Abstract

On 1 March 2019, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (New York) declared 2021–2030 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This call to action has the purpose of recognizing the need to massively accelerate global restoration of degraded ecosystems, to fight the climate heating crisis, enhance food security, provide clean water and protect biodiversity on the planet. The scale of restoration will be key; for example, the Bonn Challenge has the goal to restore 350 million km2 (almost the size of India) of degraded terrestrial ecosystems by 2030. However, international support for restoration of blue coastal ecosystems, which provide an impressive array of benefits to people, has lagged. Only the Global Mangrove Alliance (https://mangrovealliance.org/) comes close to the Bonn Challenge, with the aim of increasing the global area of mangroves by 20% by 2030. However, mangrove scientists have reservations about this target, voicing concerns that it is unrealistic and may prompt inappropriate practices in attempting to reach this target (Lee et al., 2019). The decade of ecosystem restoration declaration also coincides with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which aims to reverse deterioration in ocean health. If executed in a holistic and coordinated manner, signatory nations could stand to deliver on both these UN calls to action.

Highlights

Specialty section: This article was submitted to Marine Ecosystem Ecology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science
Saltmarshes are drained when coastal land is claimed for agriculture, and deforestation is an increasing threat to shoreline vegetation when coastal land is appropriated for urban and industrial development (Valiela et al, 2001), both of which may result in the degradation of blue carbon storages and increasing greenhouse gas emissions (Atwood et al, 2017)
How can coastal wetland ecosystems benefit from the United Nations (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration? The magnitude of the challenge implied by the Declaration raises important questions when considering coastal ecosystems for each signatory nation

Summary

Introduction

Specialty section: This article was submitted to Marine Ecosystem Ecology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. Looking forward into the decade, coastal habitat restoration will truly require a trans-disciplinary approach with skills drawn from engineering, modeling, ecology, chemistry, hydrology, social sciences including economics, financial, and project planning, governance, and integrated land, and sea spatial planning and management.

Results

Conclusion